GREENVILLE, Pa.  - The Thiel College baseball team jumped ahead early then used a late rally to upend the defending Presidents' Athletic Conference champion Washington and Jefferson Presidents 10-7 in PAC action at Tomcat Park. Four Tomcats (7-14, 1-9) had multiple hit efforts in the win over the PAC-leading Presidents (13-9, 8-2).
 
Thiel caught two-out lightning in the bottom of the first, as Nick Schiavoni (Boiling Spring, Pa./Trinity) got things started with a two-out single to left field. Trent Smith (Franklin, Pa./Franklin) proceeded to lace a double to the gap in right to score Schiavoni from first and put the Tomcats ahead, 1-0. Sam Passfiume followed Smith's lead, doubling down the left field line to score Smith from second for Thiel's second run of the inning. Josh Doody (Grove City, Pa. /Grove City) added a RBI-single up the middle to make it 3-0 Tomcats after the first.
 
The Presidents answered with a run in the second and later tied the contest 3-3 on a pair of runs off two hits and a walk in the top of the fourth. The Tomcats answered in the home half of the inning with a bases loaded fielder's choice that put Thiel up one (4-3).
 
W&J plated three runs on five hits in the top of the fifth to chase starting pitcher Alex Yoder (Canton, Ohio/St. Thomas Aquinas) and reclaim a brief 6-4 lead, but the Tomcats followed with six-runs in the bottom of the inning to stake claim to a four-run advantage. The six-run fifth was highlighted by three RBI-doubles, as Smith connected on his second of the contest, while Bryan Mitchell (Cleveland, Ohio/Padua Franciscan) and Cody Trinch (Franklin, Pa./Franklin) each notched a run-scoring two-bagger of their own.
 
Pat Duncan (Eastlake, Ohio/Eastlake North) came on in relief of Yoder and shut the high-powered Presidents' offense down, allowing just one run on two hits in three and 1/3 innings. The righty from Eastlake, Ohio struck out two to earn his first win on the hill this season. Kevin Forrester (Canonsburg, Pa./Canon-McMillan) worked a hitless ninth to record his first collegiate save.
 
Schiavoni was 3-for-5 with two runs scored to lead the Tomcats. Smith was 2-for-5 with two runs scored, two RBIs and two doubles. Passafiume and Dan Koller (Euclid, Ohio/Lake Catholic) each had two hits. Mitchell reached base three times with a double and two walks, scored once and drove in two others.
 
Six W&J players had a hit in the loss. Reliever Joe Vita took the loss after allowing four runs on four hits in the fifth inning.

The Tomcats are on the road tomorrow, as they travel to Erie, Pa. to take on the Penn State Behrend Lions at 2 p.m. in non-conference action.