GREENVILLE, Pa. – The Thiel College baseball team swept a Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) doubleheader from Washington and Jefferson College, winning game two, 4-2 Saturday.
Thiel (15-10, 9-2) combined an outstanding pitching effort from sophomore Parker Meyers (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park) and a big hitting day from the middle of their lineup to take down the visiting Presidents (16-7, 12-3). The Tomcats out-hit their opponents by a six-to-five margin en route to the win.
Things started well for the home team. After setting W&J down one-two-three in the top of the first, Jarod Nanna (Johnstown, Pa./Conemaugh) roped a one-out single to score Eric King (Butler, Pa./Butler) in the bottom of the inning for the day's first run. Senior Nick Rossmiller (Butler, Pa./Butler) followed with a single to left field that loaded the bases for the Tomcats, and Nick Schiavoni moved the runners along with a RBI-groundout that put Thiel ahead 2-0.
An inning later, Thiel took advantage of a wild pitch by W&J's Randall Risch to add to their lead. Sophomore third baseman Trent Mosley (South Euclid, Ohio/Brush) led the inning off with a single to left field and scored three batters later when a Risch fastball found the back stop to make the score 3-0.
With the Tomcat defense and Meyers continuing to post zeros against the potent President bats, Nanna delivered the deciding blow in the win during the bottom of the fifth. King led off the frame with a one-out walk, and Steininger singled to left field to put runners on the corners. The senior designated hitter chopped a grounder to the shortstop who fired to first for the out but allowed King to score as Thiel went ahead 4-1 and set them on the road to victory.
The Presidents picked up their second run in the top of the seventh after a leadoff double and a two-out single down the left field line made in 4-2 Thiel. After Meyers plunked a W&J hitter, Coach Joe Schaly made the call to the bullpen to bring in freshman Riley Schwertz (Zelienople, Pa./Freedom). Schwertz promptly induced the pop up to third base, picking up his second save of the season in the process.
Meyers put together one of his best performances as a Tomcat to improve to 2-0 on the season and drop his ERA down to 4.50. He scattered five hits and didn't walk a batter over six and two third innings, while striking out three Presidents. Risch took the loss for W&J after giving up all four runs, three of which were earned, over four and a third innings of work.
Steininger accounted for one-third of the Tomcats' six hits. He finished the day two-for-three with a run scored. Nanna added a one-for-three performance at the dish with two RBIs.
Thiel is back in action tomorrow, April 14, when they host Mount Union College. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.