MEADVILLE, Pa. -- The Thiel College softball team split with Allegheny in a Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) doubleheader with a 12-8 win and 8-0 loss Sunday afternoon.
Thiel gets their third PAC win of the season (9 -17 overall) as the Gators drop to 6-8 in the conference.
Game 1: Thiel 12, Allegheny 8
Trailing 8-6 entering the seventh inning, the Tomcats delivered their most explosive offensive inning of the game. Thiel erupted for six runs on five hits, capitalizing on key hits and defensive mistakes.
Alaina Fedder (Clearfield, Pa./Clearfield Area) drove in a run to cut the deficit, and the Tomcats tied the game shortly after on an Allegheny error.
Sheila Despenes (Townville, Pa./Maplewood) then delivered the go-ahead blow with a two-run double down the right field line, putting the Tomcats in front.
Kylie Heid (Monaca, Pa./Central Valley) capped the rally with her second home run of the game, a two-run shot to right field, giving Thiel a 12-8 cushion heading into the bottom half of the inning.
Ava Gilmore (West Middlesex, Pa./West Middlesex Area) started a four run rally for the the Blue and Gold in the top of the fourth frame, singling to the left side to bring Despenes and
Makenna Oswalt (Johnstown, Pa./Westmont Hilltop) to the plate.
Mackenzie Herman (Greenville, Pa./Reynolds) bombed her second home run of the year to ring in Gilmore and add two to the score.
Allegheny continued to apply pressure in the third inning, stringing together timely hits to plate four more runs and extend its lead to 7-1. Despite the deficit, Thiel began to chip away, scoring in the fourth inning when
Madison Hufford (Cortland, Ohio/Mathews) drove in a run to make it 7-2.
The Gators responded quickly to Heid's first inning home run and built momentum over the next few frames, scoring once in the first and adding two runs in the second on a two-run homer to take a 3-1 advantage.
Heid went 3-for-5 in the box, bringing in three RBI's and scoring two runs. Herman knocked three hits, as Hufford and Fedder each snagged two.
On the mound, Herman started the contest for their first three innings.
Lily Merolillo (Mineral Ridge, Ohio/Mineral Ridge) threw for the final four to secure the win and five strikeouts.
Game 2: Thiel 0, Allegheny 8
Allegheny took control early with timely hitting and a big first inning to build a commanding 7-0 lead.
Thiel was unable to capitalize in the batters box to get runners on the bags and scores on the board.
The Gators added a run in the fourth to close the remainder of the game.
Despenes had two hits, as Gilmore and Risser each grabbed one.
Fedder started in the circle for Thiel and Merolillo finished the final 3.1 innings.
The Blue and Gold are back in action on Wednesday, Apr. 15 as they travel to Wyanesburg to take on the Yellow Jackets at 2:30 p.m.
