FORT PIERCE, Fla. (March 13) -- The Thiel College Basebal team dropped a 16-12 slugfest with Lasell University Friday from the Lawnwood Baseball Complex in Fort Pierce, Fla.
The Tomcats drop to 2-8 while the Lasers rise to 5-1.
The Thiel bats got on the board in the third as Clavin Cackowski and
JT Gerle (Ambridge, Pa./Ambridge) each had RBI singles while
Max Bihler (Delaware, Ohio/Olentangy Berlin) brought in 1 on a groundout to make it 3-0. Bihler had a run-scoring single in the fourth while
Zach Smith (Steubenville, Ohio/Steubenville) knocked a RBI single later in the frame to make it 5-0.
Bihler finished with a career-high-tying three hits and a career-best three RBIs. Gerle had a pair of hits and RBIs each to go with 1 run. Smith had a 2-for-3 showing with a run, RBI and walk each.
Lasell put a 5-spot on the board in the fourth to even the game before plating 2 more in the fifth and 7 more in the sixth to pull ahead 14-5.
The Cats made a late push as Gerle,
Mason Sherwin (Karns City, Pa./Karns City) and
Joey Fell (Warren, Ohio/Champion) each had RBIs in the seventh to make it 14-8 before the Lasers responded with 2 in the bottom of the inning to make it 16-8.
Joey Schimizzi (Willowick, Ohio/Willoughby South) logged a RBI single in the ninth, and
Calvin Cackowski (Wickliffe, Ohio/Wickliffe) plated Schimizzi and
Colton Brightwell (Eighty Four, Pa./Bentworth) on a double to spell the 16-12 final.
Fell had a pair of hits along with a run and RBI each while Schimizzi knocked a career-high-tying three hits to go with 2 runs and a RBI. Cackowski finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs and 2 runs. Brightwell had a hit and a pair of walks while scoring 3 runs.
Hewitt Wilt (Geneva, Ohio/Geneva) started for Thiel and worked three perfect innings to start the day before the Lasers got to him in the fourth.
Brock Matthews (West Sunbury, Pa./Moniteau) worked a pair of scoreless innings in relief.
Baseball caps its spring trip tomorrow with a 10 a.m. clash against Washington (Md.).
