The St. Thomas Aquinas College baseball team dropped a 4-2 decision to Franklin Pierce University in Yaphank, NY. The Spartans, ranked #2 in the East in this week's National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association poll, fell to 12-6 while #5 ranked FPU improved to 10-6-1.

Originally scheduled to be the Spartans' home opener at Palisades Credit Union Park, the contest was moved to Long Island's Baseball Heaven due to unplayable field conditions in Pomona. The Ravens broke on top with a pair in the 3rd off STAC starter Chris Cepeda, opening the frame with a pair of hits before scoring one run on a grounder and the other on an error. They added two more in the 4th on a Mike Coggeshall two-run homer, and the tally remained 4-0 as Cepeda gave way after six solid innings.

STAC's offense struggled in the frigid temperatures but they got on the board thanks to a pair of errors in the home 6th, and cut the deficit to 4-2 an inning later when Nicholas Lucchese continued to wield the hot bat, bringing in Joseph Pena with a two-out single. The Spartans did have chances in the final frames, with Anthony Shkrelja leading off with a double but being stranded in the 8th, and a leadoff hit by Juan Adorno in the last inning also not producing a score.

Shkrelja had three hits on the afternoon with Chris Ruiz adding two, Cepeda fell to 1-3 with the loss, and Chris Pennell and Tyler Patane combined for three scoreless relief innings, as the trio of Spartan hurlers combined to record 12 strikeouts. Coggeshall had three hits for FPU in support of starter Anthony Mattarazo, who allowed two runs (one earned) in seven innings, with Sam Steeves finishing up for the save.

The schedule now turns to East Coast Conference action, with the Spartans slated for a four-game weekend series with Queens College. Games Friday and Sunday are set for Palisades Credit Union Park at 3:30 pm and 2:00 pm respectively, wrapped around a Saturday noon double-header in Queens. Please note that schedules are subject to change in light of this week's inclement weather - please check schedule page for the latest.