The St. Thomas Aquinas College Spartans fell to a 9-3 defeat in an East Coast Conference contest at LIU Post. Nick Gargan had four hits and Giovanni Dingcong homered in the setback as STAC saw its five-game winning streak snapped, falling to 10-7-1 overall and 6-3 in the ECC. Post moved into sole possession of first place at 7-2 in conference play, 9-7 overall.

Post took charge early in the affair thanks to a quartet of STAC miscues. The Pioneers registered a run in the first and three each in the second and third innings to build a 7-0 cushion. Hard-luck starter Anthony Morris yielded after that point having allowed just two earned runs.

Dingcong's homer leading off the seventh spoiled the shutout bid, but the Spartans still trailed, 9-1 by that point. Single runs tallied in the eighth and ninth innings were far to little, too late for the visitors.

Gargan led STAC's offense with a 4-for-5 showing, while Dingcong added a pair of hits. Morris dropped to 2-1 with the defeat.

After a day off for Good Friday, these teams will continue their conference weekend with a twin-bill at Provident Bank Park on Saturday, April 4. The Spartans official home openers will start at noon, with the series concluding on Long Island on Monday, April 6.