NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. -- The Thiel College softball team went 2-0 on the day with wins against Gwynedd Mercy (2-1) and Cairn (15-7) Wednesday afternoon from the North Myrtle Beach Sports Complex.
Thiel advances to a 5-1 record, adding their suspended match against Keystone as it was determined a win.
Game 1: Thiel 2, Gwynedd Mercy 1
The Tomcats sealed a tight 2–1 victory with a game-winning run in the top of the seventh. Sheila Despenes (Townville, Pa./Maplewood) reached first on an crucial error and moved into scoring position before advancing to third on a sacrifice bunt. With two outs, Kylie Heid (Monaca, Pa./Central Valley) lined a single up the middle to score Despenes and give them the lead heading into the final rest of the frame.
Throughout the last three innings, Alaina Fedder (Clearfield, Pa./Clearfield Area) kept the Tomcat defense in range to secure outs, and keep the score 1-1.
Gwynedd Mercy evened the game in the bottom of the fourth off a double that scored from a single RBI.
Thiel struck first in the opening inning as Heid had the leadoff walk, stole second, and advanced to third on a wild pitch before Lily Merolillo (Mineral Ridge, Ohio/Mineral Ridge) drove her home with a single through the left side to give the Tomcats an early 1–0 lead.
Despenes, Heid, Merolillo, Kayley Risser (Reynoldsville, Pa./Dubois Central Catholic) and Mackenzie Herman (Greenville, Pa./Reynolds) each got a hit in the contest.
In the circle, Fedder picked up her second win of the year with four strikeouts and 88 pitches.
Game 2 (6 inn.): Thiel 15, Cairn 7
Herman delivered an RBI double in the final frame before another run scored on an error, pushing the lead to eight runs and sealing the victory for the Tomcats.
Earlier in the fourth, Thiel stretch their lead to 12-5 as Julia Schimizzi (Willowick, Ohio/Willoughby South) was walked and Fedder notched a double to put runners in scoring position. Heid lined a two-run single through the left side and later scored after Merolillo reached first off an error by the third baseman.
The Blue and Gold began to pull away in the beginning frames. Risser nailed a triple down the left field line, bringing in one score in the third. A ralley led by Heid, four singles and one double in the second brought in six runs for the Tomcats to extend their lead.
To tie it up in the first, Heid began the inning with a triple and was brought home from a sacrifice bunt by freshman Merolillo. Herman scored off a single up the middle by California native Audrey Aguilar (South El Monte, Cali./Alta Loma).
Herman led the charge with four hits, 1 RBI and four runs score. Heid, Risser, Aguilar, and Fedder all notched three hits, as Aguilar and Fedder each brought in three RBI's.
On the mound, Herman advanced to 2-0 on the year with two strikeouts and 4.2 innings pitched. Merolillio came in for the final 1.2 innings, and threw one swinging strikeout.
Thiel had a total of 19 hits from seven different players.
The Blue and Gold remain in South Carolina for two games against Penn (9 a.m.) and Bridgewater State (1 p.m.) at the North Myrtle Beach Sports Complex.
