Stanley Susana had five RBI in a dominant opener and Andrew Hancsak's two-run double keyed a late rally but the St. Thomas Aquinas College baseball team came up short in game two at Molloy College, 17-2 and 5-4. The Spartans are now 5-1 in East Coast Conference play and stand at 18-9 overall, with the the Lions standing at 9-16, 2-4.
Game one got off to a tough start for the Spartans before the flood gates opened. After a scoreless first, STAC ace Matt Marotta struggled with an uncharasteristic bout of wildness, walking in a pair of runs in the last of the second to stake the hosts to a lead.
STAC wasted no time responding, breaking the game open in the next frame. Frank Salerno's double to left center with none out brought in Efrain Bautista and Hancsak to tie the game, though Salerno was gunned down trying to stretch it into a triple. Mike Russo would single in a run, Stanley Susana's hit would plate two more, and Hancsak - in his second at-bat of the inning - capped the rally with an RBI double, putting the Spartans up by a 6-2 margin.
The hits continued as St. Thomas Aquinas dropped the hammer with five more in the fourth, and six runs in the fifth to account for the final margin of victory. The rally in the fourth was keyed by a Russo double and a Susana triple, each of which brought in a pair. Susana and Hancsak would each single in a run in the barrage in the sixth, giving Marotta more than enough cushion, as he settled down to work five strong innings and improve to 4-0 on the season. Chuck Fontana took the loss to fall to 2-2.
Much more drama was in store for game two, with both teams having opportunities to put the game away. Molloy starter Max Schonfeld kept the Spartans in check early while the Lions finally got to Eric Cooper for a pair in the bottom of the third on the strength of a two-run homer by John Galanoudis. The score would stay that way until STAC finally solved Schonfeld in the sixth inning of the scheduled seven-inning affair.
Nick Barbalato and Joe Antenucci got things started with back-to-back singles. Russo cut the deficit in half with an RBI single, and with two out Hancsak came through yet again, with his double bringing in Russo and George Wargo to put the visitors in front, 3-2. STAC would add an unearned run in the seventh when Romanella scored on a fielding error, and the Spartans appeared ready for a sweep as Molloy entered its final turn.
The game was far from over, however, as Cooper walked Carmine Pellechia to lead off, bringing on reliever Ken Frawley. Ray McCourt followed with a bunt single and the Lions were in business. After a sac bunt, closer Joe DePool would come on to yield a sac fly to Frank Marchisello, bringing the hosts within 4-3. With the Lions down to their final out, Galanoudis would single in the tying run, sending the game to extras.
As the rain began to fall more heavily on Long Island, the Lions would bring the game to a soggy conclusion in the ninth inning. Relief pitcher Tim Tedesco created a jam with a leadoff walk followed by a hit batter, bringing on Jon Scott, who was unable to keep the contest from ending two batters later on a Carlos Guzman sacrifice fly. Tedesco fell to 1-2 with the loss, while Molloy's Patrick Brown yielded just one unearned run in three innings of relief to take the win and improve to 2-2.
These teams will complete their three-game weekend series tomorrow, Monday, April 2, at Provident Bank Park, with first pitch slated for 3:30 pm. The Spartans will continue their ECC schedule at Mercy College on Wednesday, April 4, before returning to PBP for a big East Region showdown with LeMoyne College on Thursday, April 5, with game time at 4:00 pm. CW Post will then pay its first call to "The Bank" on Saturday, April 7, for a conference double-header, with first pitch scheduled for 12:00 noon.
Remember, if you can't make it to the park you can follow the Spartans in real time for every home game and select road contests by clicking on the "Live Stats" link (where available) on the team schedule.