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Spartans Season Ends in ECC Championship

Spartans Season Ends in ECC Championship
Posted: May 13, 2011

The St. Thomas Aquinas baseball team dropped two games on Friday afternoon in the ECC double elimination tournament.  The Spartans lost a 2-1 defensive battle against the Golden Lions in their first game yesterday before falling 13-3 to Bridgeport.  Frank Saelrno went 3-for-7 with 3 runs and a RBI for the day.

The Spartans took a 1-0 lead in the first inning as Joe Antenucci grounded out with runners on second and third, scoring Salerno.  Dowling tied the game in the 4th inning off a RBI single from Masiello.  Both teams stayed knotted at 1-1 until the 9th when Abrue drew a bases loaded walk to bring the winning run home for Dowling. 

The Spartans had a good opportunity to score in the top of the 9th as Malzahn led off with a single.  Fred Moore grounded out, moving Malzahn into scoring position.  The Spartans were able to draw two walks and load the bases with two outs but the runners were left stranded.  Eric Copper went 7.2 innings giving up 1 run and striking out 7 batters. 

In game two, both teams scored a run in the 1st inning as Frank Salerno hit an inside the park homerun for the Spartans.  The Purple Knights put together 5-run innings in both the 5th and 7th that proved to be more than the Spartans could handle.  Bridgeport and Dowling will play in the championship game Saturday afternoon.

The Spartans finish the year at 26-25-1.  Joe Antenucci came on strong for the Spartans returning after an injury to bat .379 in the final 15 games of the season.  Antenucci had 22 hits, 13 runs and 9 RBI.  Vin Malzahn led the Spartans with 58 hits including 14 doubles, 3 triples and 4 homeruns.  The grad student had a team high 34 RBI and added 33 runs.  Frank Salerno and Nick Barbalato also had more than 50 hits for the Spartans with Salerno at 52 and Barbalato at 50.  Barbalato added 20 RBI while Salerno had 18.  Fred Moore had 37 hits as a DH for the Spartans and batted in 24 runs. 

Mark Fochesato went 4-2 for the Spartans with an ERA of 1.02.  The senior pitched 53 innings striking out 46 batters.  Fochesato pitched the Spartans 4-1 post season win over top ranked Molloy.  Freshmen Eric Cooper also went 4-2 for the Spartans pitching 54 innings with 44 strike outs.