The St. Thomas Aquinas College men's baseball team edged out Stonehill College, 4-1, at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida. Matthew Petro worked seven innings for the win, while Rich Baerga had the decisive RBI as the Spartans avenged an earlier loss to Stonehill, improving to 3-2 overall while the Skyhawks fell to 7-5.

STAC jumped ahead in the top of the first when Kenny Kirshner came home on a passed ball. Stonehill answered in the bottom half on an RBI double from Christian Bagliani. For the second straight day, the Spartans' starting hurler settled down to hold an opponent scoreless over the ensuing six innings while the STAC bats did their work.

Rich Baerga's single brought in Nick D'Angelo, who struck out but reached first on a wild pitch. Three batters later, Stanley Susana's sac fly scored Baerga to make the score 3-1. That combo would come through again in the 7th, with Susana's single bring Baerga in to score the day's final run.

Pitching was the name of the game for St. Thomas Aquinas, with Petro scattering just four hits and the one run in seven innings, striking out five and walking one. Joe Grimaldi worked a scoreless eighth before Matt Kostalos came on to close out the affair and earn his first save. Baerga and Kirshner had two hits apiece for the Spartans.

The Spartans continue their split-doubleheader this evening, taking on host Rollins College in a 6:00 pm start. Their 7-game Florida journey ends tomorrow with the rubber game against Stonehill, in an 11:00 am start.

Please note - this weekend's games against St. Anselm have been moved to Baseball Heaven in Yaphank, NY. The set will include double-headers both Saturday and Sunday, March 15 and 16, with both scheduled for a noon first pitch.