W&J and Thiel Split PAC Softball Doubleheader
GREENVILLE, Pa. -- Washington & Jefferson took the first game by a 6-1 margin, but Thiel fought back to earn a 6-4 victory in the nightcap on Wednesday during a PAC softball doubleheader in Greenville.
The Presidents (14-20, 8-8 PAC) wasted little time in grabbing the early game one lead with four runs in the first inning. Sophomore catcher Kelsey Cunningham (McMurray, Pa./Peters Twp.) led off with a triple and scored on freshman third baseman Sadie Marak's (Butler, Pa./Butler) double. Junior designated player Erin Shuman (Chester, W.Va./Oak Glen) drew a bases-loaded walk, while freshman second baseman Chalese Wilson (Washington, Pa./Chartiers-Houston) followed with a two-run single.
Thiel (17-17, 10-6 PAC) got on the scoreboard with its lone run of the game in the fourth before W&J expanded its lead with single runs in the sixth and seventh frames. Cunningham singled and scored on sophomore shortstop Stephanie Zur's (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park) double in the sixth and Shuman doubled home a run in the final inning.
Sophomore Madison Rotto (Sarver, Pa./Freeport) collected her ninth win of the year on the mound after holding the Tomcats to six hits, while striking out a pair. Marak and Cunningham both had multi-hit games for the Presidents.
Thiel broke open a scoreless game two in the fourth inning with four runs. TC tacked on two more in the fifth and appeared to be cruising to a shutout before W&J threatened in the bottom of the seventh. Zur's two-run triple brought the Presidents to within 6-2 and she then scored on Rotto's single. Rotto made it a 6-4 game after freshman first baseman Paige Deley's (Coraopolis, Pa./Montour) triple; however, Thiel notched the final out with runners on first and third.
Shuman suffered the loss after allowing six hits and six earned runs. She did not issue a walk and fanned three Tomcats. Freshman left fielder Breanna Gleason (Baden, Pa./Ambridge) paced the Presidents at the plate with two hits and one run.
W&J rounds out conference regular-season play Saturday when hosting Waynesburg at 1:00 pm.
