GROVE CITY, Pa. (May 1) -- The No. 6 Thiel College Softball team bested No. 3 Geneva College 3-2 in a thrilling first-round showdown in Game B of the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) Championship Tournament from Grove City College's College Field. 

The Tomcats advance to the winners bracket semifinals against No. 2 Westminster College in Game D, which will be played today at approximately 4 p.m. Geneva will play in an elimination game tomorrow at 10 a.m. against the loser of Game C between No. 1 Grove City and No. 4 Allegheny.

Leading 3-2 in the seventh, Becca Landis (Kinsman, Ohio/Mathews) got a pair of K's to open the inning but allowed a two-out walk on a nine-pitch AB. Molly Shelley came to the dish and roped a deep drive into left center where Jensen Stehlik (Sagamore Hills, Ohio/Nordonia) made a leaping, over-the-shoulder grab to secure the final out and seal the 3-2 win.

Landis totaled 12 strikeouts in the complete-game win, her 12th victory of the season. Landis allowed just four hits, the first of which did not come until the fourth inning. Landis has K'd at least 11 batters in 3 of her last 4 starts. Stehlik had a base hit in the victory.

The Tomcats forged ahead in the first as Dani Ficeti (Greenville, Pa./Greenville) clubbed a 2-run shot over the left-center wall which scored Kayley Risser (Reynoldsville, Pa./Dubois Central Catholic), who drew a leadoff walk, to give the Blue and Gold a 2-0 advantage.

Ficeti reached base three times as she homered, walked and was hit by a pitch. Risser walked and scored in the win.

Thiel added an insurance run in the sixth as Makenna Oswalt (Johnstown, Pa./Westmont Hilltop) plated Sheila Despenses on a sacrifice fly to make it 3-0. Geneva answered back in the bottom of the frame with a pair of runs to make it 3-2. Landis regrouped and got a strikeout and flyout to strand a runner at third with one out.

Thiel advances to the winners bracket semifinals against No. 2 Westminster College in Game D, which will be played today at approximately 4 p.m.