Sparkill, N.Y. - Rudae Gadson's tie-breaking home run in the first game and Amanda Castro's three hits in the second game carried St Thomas Aquinas College to a doubleheader sweep of the University of Bridgeport in East Coast Conference softball action today at Spartan Field. STAC won by the scores of 5-4 and 9-3.

 

The sweep could not have come at a better time for the Lady Spartans, who did not register a hit in a doubleheader sweep at the hands of powerhouse Adelphi University three days ago. "The Adelphi sweep was a wake up call for our team and I'm proud of the way they rebounded today," said STAC Head Coach Kristen Sullivan. "This is an excellent way to start the ECC season." Bridgeport is the two-time defending ECC champion and defeated STAC in the championship round of last year's conference playoffs.

 

STAC got the spark that it needed in the fourth inning of the first game. Trailing 2-0, Carissa Della Vecchia singled and Emilie Olivier followed with a two-run home run over the center field fence. Gadson, a senior, led off the fifth inning with the long homer to left field to give STAC a lead they would never surrender. Olivier opened the sixth inning by drawing a walk and Castro followed with a two-run home run to expand the lead to 5-2. Winning pitcher Abbie Landrum withstood a furious Bridgeport rally in the seventh inning and recorded the final out with the bases loaded. Gadson (shortstop) and Kim Astrologo (second base) starred defensively behind Landrum, who posted her third win of the season.

 

STAC's offense continued to deliver in the second game. After Bridgeport jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning, the Lady Spartans rallied for four runs and never looked back. In the first inning rally, Landrum plated the first run with a double and Castro stroked a two-run double. That was all that Della Vecchia needed on the mound, The senior left-hander settled down after the first inning and finished the game by retiring 14 of the last 15 batters. She had 10 strikeouts in the game.

 

Castro finished with three RBIs to go with her three hits while Olivier had three hits and three runs scored. Sophomore Tara Hagan added two hits.

 

The wins increased STAC's overall record to 6-11 while Bridgeport fell to 12-9 and 1-3 in the conference.  STAC next meets Caldwell University on Sunday in a non-conference doubleheader that begins at 2:30 p.m. at Spartan Field.