The St. Thomas Aquinas College baseball team split its home-opening East Coast Conference double-header with Queens College, winning the opener, 7-0, before dropping the nightcap by a 10-6 count at Palisades Credit Union Park. The Spartans, ranked in the top 25 in the nation and #2 in the East Region, now stand at 13-7 overall and 1-1 in conference play, with Queens coming in at 7-8, 1-1.

After a whirlwind of schedule revisions in recent days, the Spartans finally received word that they could open their home schedule on Sunday, and they took full advantage in game one. Anthony Shkrelja drove in a run with a sacrifice fly and Tyler Patane doubled in another to give STAC a 2-0 advantage in the opening inning. They added more than enough insurance in the 5th when Patane singled in another as part of a three-run rally, giving the hosts a comfortable 5-0 lead.

By the time Bobby Morse stroked a line drive homer to left as part of a two-run 7th, the only question was whether the Spartans would allow a run, and ace hurler Frankie Moscatiello answered that question with authority. The ECC Preseason Pitcher of the Year shook off a leadoff double in the top of the 2nd and allowed just three singles the rest of the way, striking out six and walking four to improve to 3-0 overall and lowering his season ERA to 0.93. Joseph Pena added two hits, two runs, and three stolen bases on the offensive side.

St. Thomas Aquinas carried that momentum into the second game, with Morse's RBI single, a run-scoring double by Giovanni Dingcong and a steal of home by the Spartan slugger opening up a 3-0 lead after one inning. Nicholas Lucchese drove in a run with a 2nd-inning single to make the score 4-0, but STAC was to have a tough time from there.

A passed ball and a pair of errors helped Queens to two unearned runs in the 3rd to cut the deficit in half off starter Jason Salva. Five Knights hits led to a six-run uprising in the 5th, turning the tide of the contest. Louis Antos came through with a bases-loaded two run double to put Queens on top for the first time, knocking Salva from the box, and Eric Roubal followed with a three-run homer off reliever Tyler Patane to open an 8-4 gap.

STAC had chances, leaving the bases loaded in both the 6th and 7th innings, and though they were able to add single tallys in the 7th and 8th, the Knights were able to hold on for the win. Salva fell to 1-1 with the loss with Dennis Buckstein earning the victory for Queens despite Lucchese's three-hit effort.

The condensed four-games-in-two-days series concludes tomorrow, returning to Palisades Credit Union Park for a double-header starting at 4:00 pm. Originally scheduled to be played at Queens but moved due to unplayable field conditions, the Spartans will bat as visitors in both ends of that twin-bill.