GROVE CITY, Pa. -- The Grove City College baseball team dropped an 11-6 decision to visiting Thiel in Presidents' Athletic Conference action at R. Jack Behringer Field Thursday afternoon.

Thiel jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning but Grove City trimmed the lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the third on a run-scoring single from freshman first baseman Matt Waugaman (Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny). Waugaman drove in freshman catcher Nick Fryer (Medina, Ohio/Medina), who opened the inning with a single.

Thiel broke open the game by scoring five runs during the middle innings. The Tomcats added two more runs in the top of the seventh. Grove City closed the scoring by generating five runs in the bottom of the ninth. Senior second baseman John Rende (West Homestead, Pa./Central Catholic) helped ignite the inning with a double while Waugaman and junior left fielder Josh Hodges (Johnson City, N.Y./Johnson City) each had run-scoring singles in the ninth.

Hodges also doubled and finished 2 for 4. Waugaman went 3 for 4 while Fryer also doubled.

Freshman pitcher Andrew Taylor (Kennett Square, Pa./Unionville) started and pitched five innings. He allowed six earned runs and took the defeat. Freshman Tim Flynn (Marco Island, Fla./Seacrest Country Day), freshman Ryan Braundmeier (Lititz, Pa./Warwick) and junior Kenny Saltsman (Salem, Ohio/Salem) all pitched in relief.

Grove City (5-15, 3-8 PAC) will host conference foe Westminster Friday afternoon at 4 p.m.