The St. Thomas Aquinas College baseball team couldn't get the offense on track and Dowling pushed home four runs in the seventh to lead the hosts to a 5-1 win. East Coast Conference Rookie-of-the-Week Stanley Susana went 3-for-4, but it was not enough for the Spartans.
STAC has struggled of late, falling to 24-13 overall, 9-4 in ECC play after dropping three straight league tilts. Dowling has caught fire, winning four straight and seven of eight to improve to 23-13, and taking first place in the conference with a 12-4 record.
Dowling ace Mark Rutledge locked in a pitcher's duel with STAC's Joe Ferrara early on with each team recording just two hits over the first three innings. The Spartans broke on top in the fourth when Susana's single brought in George Wargo, who had doubled earlier in the frame. The Golden Lions quickly answered in the bottom half when Ian Schneider's two-out homer deadlocked the score at 1-1.
It would remain that way until the decisive rally in the last of the seventh. Ferrara's control would suddenly go missing, as a pair of hit batters and a wild pitch set the table for Dowling and ended the righty's day. Taylor Bargiacci singled in one run and Andrew Abreu knocked in two more, giving Dowling all the runs the would need.
Rutledge remained in charge, striking out 11 while scattering six hits over eight innings of work, to improve to 7-2 on the season, while Ferrara fell to 1-2 with the loss. Bargiacci led the Golden Lions' attack, going 3-for-3.
Please note - There have been several changes to this weekend's schedule. The correct schedule is now posted, and is as follows:
Friday, April 20 - game originally scheduled against Dowling at Provident Bank Park is cancelled. Spartans will now travel to Bridgeport to play an ECC contest at Harbor Yard at 3:30 pm.
Saturday, April 21 - STAC will play Bridgeport in a noon ECC double-header at PBP, as originally scheduled.
Sunday, April 22 - No game. Originally scheduled contest at Bridgeport now being played on Friday, 4/20.
For any additional information, please contact the St. Thomas Aquinas Athletic Department.