BOX SCORE - GAME ONE

BOX SCORE - GAME TWO

PHOTO GALLERY

Behind a strong pitching performance by Joey Fearer, the Bearcats won game one of a conference twinbill over Thiel College, 4-3, before falling by a 10-3 score in game two at Bearcat Ballfield.

AJ Kavinsky set the tone for the day by being hit by a pitch to open the game.  It would turn out to be the first of three times on the afternoon that Kavinsky took the HBP, and the first of 10 hit batsmen on the day by the Thiel pitching staff.

After Vince Murphy walked, Hunter Williams doubled home both runners to put the hosts in front, 2-0.  

The lead increased to 3-0 in the third, when Kavinsky singled, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Murphy, then scored when Williams reached on an error.

After a solo home run by Thiel's Bryan Mitchell cut the gap to 3-1, SVC got an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth.  With two out, Williams was hit by a pitch, then moved to third on an error.  Tanner Master singled home what would prove to be a valuable run.

The Tomcats chased Fearer in the 7th after single and double to lead off the inning.  Both runners later scored, but Dustin Welsh got the Bearcats out of the inning and picked up the save in the 4-3 victory.

Mike Cramer started game two for the Bearcats but was touched up for seven hits and six runs in two-plus innings of work, as the Tomcats opened a 7-0 lead.

In the bottom of the third, SVC was poised for a comeback, as Chris Winkler singled to lead off.  With one out, Kavinsky doubled, and Murphy was hit by a pitch to load the bases.  Ben Webb followed with a 2-run single, and Murphy later scored on a wild pitch.  However, a pickoff at second with the bases loaded ended the rally, with the score at 7-3, and the Bearcats were unable to score the rest of the way.

Kavinsky, who went 4-5 on the day with three HBPs, had a pair of doubles in game two, while Webb went 2-4.  Cramer (2-1) took the loss, with Steve Janik working 3.2 innings of relief, giving up just one earned run.  Dave Culeton worked the final inning and a third of scoreless relief.

SVC is now 6-7 in the Presidents' Athletic Conference, while Thiel is 4-10.  The teams will meet in a 9-inning contest on Sunday afternoon in Greenville.