MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. - St. Thomas, no. 2 in the NAIA Preseason Coaches Poll, looked sharp in its exhibition opener with a 18-7 win over Miami-Dade College Tuesday night at Paul Demie Mainieri Field.

The Bobcats trailed 2-0 after the top of the first inning, then reeled off 14 unanswered runs to build a 14-2 lead.  St. Thomas tied the game with a pair of runs in the second inning on a passed ball and an error.  An RBI single by Oscar Rodriguez and a two-RBI single by Nick Canino gave the Bobcats a 5-2 lead in the third.   The offensive onslaught continued behind timely hitting from several STU hitters resulting in back-to-back five-run innings, capped by a 2-RBI triple by Michael Centeno in the fourth.

With the game out of reach, Miami-Dade scored one run in the sixth and four in the eighth inning.  The Bobcats added three more runs in the botton of the eighth.

STU used a deep array of pitchers in the exhibition.  Staff ace Ben Ancheff started the contest.  Alex Viera, Devon Stubbings, Brandon Valentin, Alejandro Kan and Alex Hernandez also saw action on the mound.

Next up for the Bobcats is an exhibition vs. Broward College on Thursday at 6 p.m.