Frank Salerno and Nick Barbalato each drove in two runs in a five-run second inning, leading the St. Thomas Aquinas College baseball team to a 7-4 victory over Pace University at Provident Bank Park. The Spartans have now won two straight and four of their last five games after dropping their first three to improve to 4-4 overall. Pace suffered its first setback of the young season, falling to 4-1.
The Spartans struck early on Setter starter Edward Byrne, as East Coast Conference Player-of-the-Week Andrew Hancsak's two-out single plated Derek Hirsch in the bottom of the opening frame. STAC would break it open in the second with a big five-run rally. Salerno's bases-loaded double with one out brought home Nick D'Angelo and Christian Santo, and Barbalato's ensuing single scored Andrew Romanella and Salerno. A Hirsch grounder later brought in Barbalato, putting STAC up by six.
Pace chipped away at Spartan righty Joe Ferrara, plating two in the third and another in the fourth to cut the deficit in half. Freshman Spartan lefthander Nick May tossed blanks over the next two frames, but a leadoff walk in the seventh to Pace's Chris Gili brought on Ken Frawley. Gili came around to score on a Joe Solomeno single, but the STAC righthander would close the door thereafter.
After their strong start, the St. Thomas Aquinas offense was dormant until adding a key insurance run in the eighth. Barbalato and Hirsch strung together singles with one out, and a wild pitch by Setter reliever Josh Grant combined with a throwing error on catcher Steven Sterlacci allowed Barbalato to trot home. Frawley would take care of the rest, securing the victory for May and earning his first save of the season by retiring seven of his last eight batters faced and scattering three singles over three scoreless innings of work.
Today's victory was the last contest the Spartans will play in the northeast before heading on their Florida trip, which will start with a matchup against Felician College in Lake Worth, Florida on Friday, March 9. STAC is scheduled to play six games in the Sunshine State before returning north, when they host Southern New Hampshire University in a pair of twin-bills at PBP on Saturday and Sunday, March 17 and 18. Both double-headers are scheduled to start at 12:00 noon.
Please note - select games on the Spartans' upcoming Florida trip will be available on Live Stats. Just check the schedule page and click on the Live Stats links where available to follow the Spartans in Florida in real time!