Frank Salerno swiped five bases and scored four runs to lead the St. Thomas Aquinas College baseball team to its fifth straight win, a rain-shortened 9-5 decision over Felician College in Lake Worth, Florida. The Spartans have won 7-of-8 overall and all three on their current Florida trip to improve to 7-4 overall, while the Golden Falcons fell to 5-12. It was the second time in three days that STAC topped Felician, scoring a 10-9 win in the trip debut on Friday.
STAC, batting as the visitor, struck in the opening frame thanks to some aggressive baserunning. Salerno, leading off, was hit by a pitch from Felician starter Brian Dudzinski, stole second with one out, stole third with two out, and was brought in by an RBI single from George Wargo. The Golden Falcons jumped ahead in the second as Joe Petosa's two-out single off starter Joe Ferrara brought in two runs.
The Spartans would waste no time, reclaiming the lead in the third thanks in large part to their opponents' erratic mound work. A Wargo single scored Joe Antenucci to tie the score. With the bags jammed and two out, Dudzinski walked Mike Russo to force in one run, and hit Derek Hirsch to score another, giving STAC a 4-2 edge. They tacked on another in the fourth when Andrew Hancsak's single off reliever Stephen Paladino brought in Salerno with the Spartans' fourth two-out tally of the afternoon.
Salerno would again wreak havoc on the basepaths in the fifth, as he walked with two out and proceeded to steal second and third again, before coming home on a Nick Barbalato double into the left field corner. Antenucci promptly singled to bring home Barbalato and put the Spartans up by a five spot at 7-2.
As was the case in their meeting just two days earlier, STAC relievers would help Felician back into the game without the benefit of a hit. Three Spartan pitchers would combine to yield four walks, two wild pitches and a hit batter, pushing across two runs and triming the margin to 7-4 through five.
STAC would continue to add insurance, tacking on solo runs in the seventh and eighth. Salerno touched home for the fourth time on the day after a throwing error in the seventh, and a Mike Russo single an inning later scored Stanley Susana to give his team a 9-4 bulge. The Golden Falcons would pose on final threat, pushing a run across in the eighth, but with one out and two on, the rains came, bringing an end to the day's action.
Nick D'Angelo was credited with his first win of the season after working 1.1 innings of scoreless relief to improve to 1-1, while Dudzinski fell to 0-4 for the Golden Falcons. Jon Scott retired his only batter faced when the rain came, earning him the save, his first of the season. The Spartans outhit the Golden Falcons, 13-8, and scored six of their runs with two out.
The Spartans are now halfway through their Sunshine State Six, which continues on Monday, March 12 against American International College. STAC will face the University of New Haven on Tuesday and the trip winds up on Wednesday, March 14 against St. Michael's College, after which the team will return north to host Southern New Hampshire University in a pair of twin-bills at Provident Bank Park on Saturday and Sunday, March 17 and 18. Both double-headers are scheduled to start at 12:00 noon.
Please note - Wednesday's game vs. St. Michael's will be available on Live Stats. Just check the schedule page and click on the Live Stats link to follow the Spartans in Florida in real time!