PITTSBURGH, Pa. -- The Thiel College softball team split their final doubleheader of the season at Chatham University in Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) play Sunday afternoon.
Game 1: Thiel 15, Chatham 11
The Tomcats wasted no time taking control, breaking the game open in the third inning. Thiel sent 12 batters to the plate to score seven runs starting with senior
Kylie Heid (Monaca, Pa./Central Valley).
Ava Gilmore (West Middlesex, Pa./West Middlesex Area) delivered a two-run single, Makenna Oswalt (Johnstown, Pa./Westmont Hilltop) followed with an RBI double, and Kalina Moreno (San Antonio, Texas/Clark) drew a bases-loaded walk to extend the lead. Kayley Risser (Reynoldsville, Pa./Dubois Central Catholic) capped the inning with a two-run single, giving Thiel a commanding 7-0 advantage.
Thiel continued to apply pressure in the fourth inning as Alaina Fedder (Clearfield, Pa./Clearfield Area) drove in a run with a single, and Heid added a two-RBI knock to push the lead to 10-1.
The Cougars chipped into the deficit in the fifth inning and then exploded in the sixth, scoring 10 runs between the two frames to complete a stunning rally and take the 11-10 advantage.
Fedder tied the game with an RBI single before Oswalt delivered the go-ahead blow, a two-run single up the middle to put Thiel back in front. The Tomcats added insurance runs on a wild pitch and a passed ball to extend the lead to 15-11.
In the circle, Lily Merolillo (Mineral Ridge, Ohio/Mineral Ridge) earned the win in relief, tossing the final 1.2 innings to help shut the door after Chatham's comeback. Fedder and Mackenzie Herman (Greenville, Pa./Reynolds) also saw time in the circle during the high-scoring contest.
Game 2: Thiel 0, Chatham 4
The Cougars struck early, taking a 1-0 lead in the first inning on an RBI fielder's choice. Chatham added to its advantage in the fifth, stringing together a pair of runs on an RBI single and a sacrifice fly to make it 3-0.
An additional insurance run in the sixth inning pushed the lead to 4-0 and capped the scoring for the afternoon.
Thiel was unable to find its rhythm at the plate, finishing with just two hits in the contest. Herman recorded a double, while Fedder added the Tomcats' other hit.
Thiel concludes their season 13-23 overall and 5-17 in the conference.
