GREENVILLE, Pa. -- The Thiel College baseball team split with Geneva in a Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) doubleheader with a 13-12 loss and 5-3 win Tuesday evening.
The Blue and Gold pick up their third conference win of the year, as the Golden Tornadoes have a PAC record of 5-9.
Game 1: Thiel 12, Geneva 13
Thiel exploded out of the gates offensively, putting up five runs in both the first and second innings to seize an early 10-0 advantage.
Zach Smith (Steubenville, Ohio/Steubenville) and
Calvin Cackowski (Wickliffe, Ohio/Wickliffe) started the first frame rally and
Colton Brightwell (Eighty Four, Pa./Bentworth) brought in
Cole Sherwin (Karns City, Pa./Karns City) to score Thiel's second run.
With bases loaded,
Joey Fell (Warren, Ohio/Champion) was walked,
JT Gerle (Ambridge, Pa./Ambridge) singled to left field and
Jack Fickes (Jeromesville, Ohio/Hillsdale) hit a sacrifice fly to end scoring in the first.
The rally continued in the second with hits to the outfield and a lack of pitching by the Tornadoes. Brightwell and Fickes were both walked with bases loaded to bring in more runs for the Tomcats.
The Blue and Gold continued to swing the bats, adding another run in the third to extend the lead to 11-0 and put Geneva on its heels.
Geneva answered with a momentum-shifting fourth inning, scoring four runs to begin chipping away at the deficit. The Golden Tornadoes continued to apply pressure in the middle innings, plating four more runs in the sixth and adding two in the seventh.
In the eighth, the Golden Tornadoes knocked three runs as their lead off doubled to right field to bring in two scores and take their first lead of the game.
The Tomcats finished with 12 runs on 14 hits, but were unable to generate the late offense needed to complete the comeback.
Dennis Fedele (Hermitage, Pa./Hickory) started the contest for Thiel, pitching five innings and throwing seven strikeouts. Four other Tomcats appeared on the mound for Thiel,
Brock Matthews (West Sunbury, Pa./Moniteau) taking the loss with five strikeouts.
Game 2: Thiel 5, Geneva 3
JT Gerle (Ambridge, Pa./Ambridge) led the final push for Thiel, bombing his first home run of the year, third of his career, to give Thiel the late 4-3 lead in the seventh. Fickes scored Thiel's final run of the game as he ran home off a passed ball with Cackowski in the box.
On the mound,
Mason Suss (Monongahela, Pa./Ringgold) threw for a complete game with four strikeouts, and is the first Tomcat to throw a complete game since
Alec Katon (Ashtabula, Ohio/Edgewood) in their Westminster win last season.
The Blue and Gold came out hot again, notching three runs in the first frame. Sherwin, Brightwell, Gerle
Joey Schimizzi (Willowick, Ohio/Willoughby South) and
Kolten Kruszewski (Erie, Pa./Mercyhurst Prep) all had hits to start the game and give Thiel the up.
Geneva slowly added three runs in the beginning frames, but Suss and the defense were able to lock down the Tornadoes bats and keep the momentum for the win.
Thiel is back in action on Saturday, Apr. 18 as they travel to Saint Vincent for a 1 p.m. doubleheader.
