The St. Thomas Aquinas Baseball team swept the ECC All Conference major awards; with Frank Salerno being named the ECC Player of the Year, Senior Matt Marotta was named the ECC Pitcher of the Year, Freshman Stanley Susana was the ECC Rookie of the Year and head coach Scott Muscat was the ECC Coach of the Year.
Salerno finished 2nd in the ECC in batting average (.376) and RBI (33). The junior led STAC as well as the ECC in stolen bases (38) and was the Spartans leader with 54 runs this year. Salerno was a first team all conference selection for the second year in a row and broke the Spartans record for stolen bases in a season. Salerno was named the ECC Player of the Week three times this season.
Marotta was a two time ECC Pitcher of the Week this season leading the conference in wins (8). The senior came back after sitting out due to injury last season and broke the school record for wins and most strike outs in a season (70). The righty was a first team all conference selection.
Susana was named the ECC Rookie of the Week twice this season and also earned Player of the Week recognition once. The third baseman was a 1st team all conference selection after finishing 4th in the ECC in batting average(.360) and 2nd with three home runs. Susana led the Spartans with seven triples this season, helping guide the Spartans to their best season, 33-16.
The Spartans had three other players named to the first team all conference; outfielder, Joe Antenucci, the DH Mike Russo, and the senior catcher, George Wargo. Antenucci was named the ECC Player of the Week on one occasion this year and finished 5th in the conference, batting (.357). Russo was the triple crown winner for the ECC leading the conference in batting ave. (.394), RBI(43) and Home Runs(6). The junior was a two time ECC Player of the Week and led the team with 13 doubles. Wargo finished 4th in ECC in runs(31) and 9th in batting average (.333).
The Spartans also had three players named to the second team; outfielder, Nick Barbalato, pitcher, Eric Cooper and 1st baseman, Andrew Hancsak. Barbalato finished 2nd in the ECC in runs (47) and 3rd in RBI (31). Cooper went 5-1 in the regular season and Hancsak, who was also named ECC player of the week once this year, was 4th in the conference with 11 doubles this season.
The Spartans went 33-16 in the regular season clinching the first place spot and #1 seed in the ECC playoffs. This is the second regular season title under head coach Muscat. The 33 wins are the most in the programs history as NCAA Division II breaking their previous record of 28 wins in 2008. The Spartans were regionally ranked all season and led the ECC in all major categories this year.
ECC All Conference Press Release