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The Saint Vincent softball team earned a 6-2 win over Geneva College in the opening round of the Presidents' Athletic Conference playoffs, then lost to Thiel College by a score of 3-0 in the second game of the day.

In the early game, Geneva's first batter of the game reached on a single off SVC starter Celia Knappenberger, but Bearcat catcher Kaylee Ludwick quickly erased the runner as she tried to steal second. 

The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the fourth inning, when Riley Assalone started a rally with a two-out single. Alona Sleith followed with a single that moved Assalone to second.  A fielding error on a ball hit by Shae Robson then loaded the bases for Kelly Flaherty, and the senior responded with a 2-run single, giving the Bearcats a 2-0 lead.
 
In the top of the sixth, the Golden Tornadoes took advantage of three hits and a Bearcat error, scoring twice to tie the game.
 
In the bottom of the inning, Lauren Miller was hit by a pitch to lead off, and pinch runner Megan Christner replaced her on the basepaths.  Christner then stole second, setting the stage for Assalone, who hit a double, driving home would prove to be the winning run.   The Bearcats then added to their lead, as Sleith reached on an error, and Flaherty walked to load the bases.  Ludwick hit a sacrifice fly that brought home Assalone, and an error on the throw to the plate allowed Sleith to score as well, putting SVC in front, 5-2.  Sydney Gurneal then singled home Flaherty to make it 6-2.
 
Geneva managed to load the bases with one out in the top of the 7th, but Knappenberger was able to induce a pop up and a ground out to end the game.
 
Knappenberger (14-6) went the distance, giving up just one earned run.  Offensively, the Bearcats had just six hits, with Assalone accounting for three.  She also scored twice and had one RBI.

In the second game, the Bearcats threatened to score in the bottom of the second, loading the bases on a walk to Sleith, a bunt single by Tobin and an infield single by Robson, but the team was unable to push a run across the plate, and the game remained scoreless.
 
In the fourth, Tobin singled, and pinch-runner Christner stole second.  She then moved to third on a strikeout when the third strike was dropped, but was stranded there, and the game remained scoreless.
 
The Tomcats got on the board in the top of the fifth.  A pair of singles put runners at first and second.  A fielder's choice on a ground ball then left runners at first and third.   The runner on first started to break for second and when the ball was thrown from the catcher to first, the runner on third headed home, beating the throw for the game's first run.
 
Thiel increased its lead in the top of the seventh on an RBI double by Leah Woytek after Madison Fullmer drew a one-out walk.  Vanessa Falce then singled home Woytek, making it 3-0.
 
Thiel pitcher Jessica Kelly kept her shutout intact with a 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh, ending the game. 
 
Knappenberger (14-7) took the loss, giving up 7 hits while walking two and striking out two.

Saint Vincent will face Westminster College in an elimination game on Friday morning (May 3).  The game has been moved up to 10AM.