GREENVILLE, Pa– The Thiel College baseball team emphatically won their fifth Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) game by blowing out Geneva 10-1 in game one of a doubleheader Saturday.

With the win, the Tomcats improved to 11-9 on the season and 5-1 in PAC play, while the Golden Tornadoes fell to 7-12 for the year and 2-5 in the conference.

The Tomcats pounded out 17 hits on the afternoon, while their pitching and defense limited the Golden Tornadoes to just eight base knocks. After a scoreless top of the first inning, Thiel took a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first. The Tomcats sent all nine batters to the plate in the inning, with the first six batters Thiel sent to the plate all collecting base hits.

In the bottom of inning number three, Thiel added a fifth run when right fielder Nick Schiavoni singled home a run. The Tomcats added another run in the sixth on a Jarod Nanna (Johnstown, Pa./Conemaugh) RBI-single through the left side that scored Doug Farley (Linesville, Pa./Linesville).

Still up 6-0, the Tomcats added four more runs in the bottom of the fifth when Schiavoni ripped a RBI-double down the leftfield line that moved Thiel ahead 7-0. Farley singled home Schiavoni later in the inning to plate the second run of the frame, and left fielder Eric Steininger (West Leechburg, Pa./Leechburg) followed by ripping a two-run single to center field to give Thiel their second four-run inning of the contest.

As one would expect, there were plenty of outstanding offensive performances in Thiel's 17-hit performance, which gives them 33 hits in the past two wins over Geneva. Senior centerfielder Doug Farley (Linesville, Pa./Linesville) went four-for-five at the dish with three runs scored, a RBI and a stolen base. Nanna went three-for-four with a run scored and two RBIs, while Steininger finished two-for-four with a run scored and a team-high three RBIs.

Schiavoni, senior Eric King (Butler, Pa./Butler) and freshman Trent Smith (Franklin, Pa./Franklin) racked up two hits each, while sophomore Cody Trinch (Franklin, Pa./Franklin) and freshman Brian Genco (Strongsville Ohio/Strongsville) each recorded a base knock in the win.

Senior Nick Rossmiller (Butler, Pa./Butler) improved to 6-1 on the mound for the season after working six innings of six-hit baseball. He didn't allow a run, lowering his ERA to 1.75 on the season and struck out four batters while walking two. Freshman Matt Elko (Middlefield, Ohio/Berkshire) pitched the last inning of the game and gave up an earned run on two hits and a walk while striking out one.

The Tomcats will try to keep their bats white hot on Saturday, April 6, for game two of their doubleheader with Geneva.