MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – St. Thomas and Broward College played a wild, extra-inning preseason exhibition on Monday night at Jacquelin J. Kelly Field. Tied 2-2 after seven innings, then 3-3 after nine innings, the Seahawks ultimately prevailed over the Bobcats 5-3 in ten innings.

Broward opened the game with a run in the first inning, then was shut out by Bobcat pitchers Brandi Bunker and Emily Santos through the next seven innings.  Bunker started the game and despite allowing a run, pitched three hitless innings.  Santos pitched the remaining seven innings and gave up no earned runs on five hits, while striking out three and walking none.

STU trailed 1-0 in the bottom of the seventh, but the Bobcats rallied with the game-tying run to send the game into extra innings.  McKenna Delaware led off with a walk, then advanced to third after a ground out by Nanet Manieri.  Dayma Pla then drove in Delaware with a fielder's choice to tie the game 1-1 on an electric play where Delaware beat out the tag at home plate.

After a scoreless eighth inning, the Seahawks scored two unearned runs in the top of the ninth aided by the courtesy runner afforded to teams in extra innings.  Down 3-1, the Bobcats came back again in the bottom of the ninth to force a tenth inning.  Alysha Coyle, after being placed on second as the courtesy runner, scored on an RBI by Manieri to cut the deficit to one run.  Following a sacrifice bunt by Pla that advanced Manieri to third base, GiGi Santos hit an RBI single to score Manieri and tie the game at 3-3.

The tenth inning went the way of the Seahawks however as two more unearned runs were scored to give BC a 5-3 lead.  The Bobcats attempted one more rally and even found themselves with runners at second and third base in the bottom of the tenth.  However, the third attempt at a comeback came short with BC winning 5-3 in the ten inning marathon.

Due to the length of the game, the previously scheduled second game of the doubleheader exhibition was not played.

STU will open its regular season on Friday at 4 p.m. with a doubleheader vs. Barry University at Jacquelin J. Kelly Field.