GROVE CITY, Pa. – The Thiel College baseball team clinched a spot in the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) playoffs with a split of a doubleheader at Grove City College. The Wolverines grabbed a 13-6 victory in the opener, but the Tomcats rebounded with an impressive 8-0 triumph in the late game.

Thiel (21-16, 14-7) opened game one with three runs in the top of the first before the Wolverines (5-18, 4-13) responded with a five spot of their own in the bottom of the first that gave the home team a 5-3 advantage.

The Tomcats responded by tying the game, 5-5, on a two-run triple by senior second baseman Eric King (Butler, Pa./Butler) in the top of the second. The Tomcats added a run on an RBI-single by senior center fielder Doug Farley (Linesville, Pa./Linesville) in the top of the fourth to take a short-lived 6-5 lead.

Unfortunately, the Wolverines combined five hits, including a three-run home run and a grand slam by Garrett Herald, and two Thiel errors in the bottom of the fourth and sixth to post eight runs and take game one, 13-6.

Sophomore Parker Meyers (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park) started on the mound and suffered the loss after giving up 12 runs, seven of which were earned, on seven hits and three walks over five and a third innings pitched.

Five Tomcats posted multi-hit performances in game one, with King, Eric Steininger (West Leechburg, Pa./Leechburg), Nick Rossmiller (Butler, Pa./Butler), Trent Mosley (South Euclid, Ohio/Brush), and Nick Schiavoni (Boiling Spring, Pa./Trinity) each collecting a pair of base hits. King led the team with two RBIs while Schiavoni, Steininger and Rossmiller each scored a run.

Things went much more smoothly for the Tomcats in game two as freshman Matt Elko (Middlefield, Ohio/Berkshire) put together his best performance of the season on the mound during the 8-0 victory. Thiel also out-hit its opposition by a 10-4 deficit.

The Tomcat bats wasted little time coming to life in the bottom of the first, when they plated two runs on two hits, a walk and an error. Farley and King led the inning off with back-to-back base hits, and Rossmiller scored Farley on a sacrifice fly to right field. King later scored on an error by the catcher to put the visitors up 2-0.

Two innings later, Thiel added its third run of the day when King scored on a passed ball. Senior designated hitter Jarod Nanna (Johnstown, Pa./Conemaugh) added to the Tomcats lead in the top of the fifth with an RBI-single that again scored King from third.

Thiel put the finishing touches on the win in the top of the seventh with a three-run home run by Rossmiller, his third of the season, that gave Thiel an 8-0 cushion.

Elko tossed seven innings of four-hit ball to pick up the complete game, shutout victory. He walked three but struck out a season-best 12 Wolverines.

King and Rossmiller led the Tomcats at the plate. King went 3-for-4 with three runs scored, while Rossmiller went 1-for-2 with a run scored, four RBIs and a walk. Farley also went 2-for-4, scoring two runs and stealing a base in the win.

Thiel concludes the 2013 regular season with a three-game set with the Saint Vincent Bearcats. Game one is scheduled for Friday at Latrobe, and the two teams return to Tomcat Park for a crucial doubleheader on Saturday.