The St. Thomas Aquinas College baseball team, which rallied to tie the game down to their last strike, completed a 6-4 victory in 11 innings in an East Coast Conference game at Queens College. The win gained STAC a split in the four-game conference series, as their record improved to 22-9, 8-4, while the Knights fell to 13-16, 5-7.

In a game that started way back on Friday, STAC found a way to prevail. After winning the opener by a 22-2 margin, daylight dwindled as the Spartans trailed in their last at-bat in the nightcap, with a 4-3 deficit in the seventh inning. One strike from victory, Queens starter Brandon Burrell uncorked a wild pitch, bringing Juan Adorno home with the tying marker. A scoreless bottom half was the last ball played that day as the game was halted due to darkness.

Play resumed with the top of the eighth inning on Monday at Queens. Jorge Ruiz climbed the hill in relief for the Knights, while Spartan ace Matt Kostolos - who worked just five innings in the lopsided win on Friday - garnered a relief stint.

Each pitcher worked three scoreless innings before STAC struck, rallying with two on and none out in the 11th. Michael Morgan walked and John DeAngelis reached on an error, setting the table for Pena. Michael Calabrese came on in relief, but Pena was equal to the task, with his two-run double providing the deciding runs.

George Navadel worked a perfect bottom half to not only pick up his league-leading ninth save of the season, but also make a winner out of Kostolos, who had the distinction of winning both ends of the twin-bill, improving to 5-0 on the season.

After Tuesday's game against Nyack at Provident Bank Park, the Spartans will enjoy their conference bye weekend, not returning to action until Tuesday, April 19, when Kutztown University visits Pomona for a 3:30 pm start.

- Steve Balsan, St. Thomas Aquinas Sports Information

- Photo by Dorice Arden