The St. Thomas Aquinas College baseball team saw its trail blazing 2014 season come to an end with a 6-1 loss vs Minnesota St. Mankato at the Division II National Baseball Finals in Cary, NC. The Spartans finish their season at 38-18, while MSM stays alive, improving to 46-10

Matt Kostolos, who has been a big game pitcher for the Spartans with wins in both the East Coast Conference Tournament and the NCAA East Regional, was victimized by some bad luck in the top of the 2nd.

With two out and none on, Mike Andries lined a single to center. Connor McCallum hit a shallow fly to left that just found space between left fielder Derek Hirsch and shortstop Stanley Susana, putting runners at first and third. With an 0-2 count on Parker Sullivan, the Mavericks executed a double steal attempet, with McCallum getting hung up heading to second. Susana cut off the throw from catcher Stephen Sunday, but his return throw to the plate was high, with Andries sliding home safely with the game's first run.

One inning later, it was the defense coming up big when, with two out and the bases loaded, Taylor Branstad's sinking liner to left was snared by a sliding Derek Hirsch.

Minnesota State starter Bryce Bellin sailed through three hitless innings though the control pitcher did yield an uncharasteristic three walks. STAC would break through in the 4th, however, when Stanley Susana got the ball rolling with a one-out single. After a Nick D'Angelo fly out, freshman Deven Del Priore's booming double to straight away center sailed over the head of Parker Sullivan, bringing Susana all the way around to tie the score.

Once again, Minnesota State took advantage of a fortuitous bounce to regain the lead. Eric Peterson led off with a single and, after a pop out, Max Waletich hit a high bouncer that just escaped the leaping glove of first baseman Kenny Kirshner, putting runners at first and third. Nolan Johnson then hit a sacrifice fly to right, giving the Mavericks back their lead.

Kostolos ran into trouble in the 6th, with Andries leading off with a single, advancing on a bunt, and Sullivan drawing a walk, ending the right-hander's day. Brian Tompkins came from the pen and struggled with control, hitting Peterson with a pitch to load the bases, and walking Todd Standish to force in a run. Waletich followed with a sac fly, putting the Spartans in a 4-1 hole.

Bellin was in charge after the Spartans' run, retiring eight straight batters before Del Priore's one out single in the bottom of the 7th. Joe Boland followed with a two out double into the gap, putting runners in scoring position and the tying run at the plate, but Omar Cuevas skied deep to center to end the threat.

Two more runs in the 8th gave the scoreboard visitors a healthy cushion, as Johnson came through with a two-run single, scoring Waletich and Sullivan. The never-say-die Spartans showed some life in the bottom half, putting runners at first and third with one down, but Stanley Susana's inning-ending double-play grounder on a terrific play by the Mavericks' middle infield ended STAC's final threat.

Bellin allowed just five hits and improved to 7-1 with the victory, with Kostolos dropping to 7-3 on the season.