Myrtle Beach, S.C. - The St. Thomas Aquinas College Baseball team split a non-conference doubleheader with Le Moyne College on Friday in the Spartans 2022 season opener at the Ripken Experience in Myrtle Beach. STAC earned a thrilling 5-4 walk-off victory in the opener, before falling 5-0 in the seven-inning second game.

How It Happened Game 1

• Andrew Jemison opened the Spartan scoring in the bottom of the third inning with an RBI sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Joseph Scamardella to make it 1-0.
• In the fourth, Andrew Guerra stroked a one-out RBI double to left field, scoring Danny Di Marzo and doubling the Spartan lead at 2-0.
• A Matthew Johnson RBI single to left, scored Guerra to extend the STAC lead to 3-0.
• Andrew Jemison closed rounded out the scoring in the frame with an RBI double to left, bringing home Joseph Scamardella to make it 4-0 St. Thomas Aquinas.
• Nick Nevins broke the shutout for Le Moyne in the sixth inning with a bases loaded single down the right field line, scoring Drew Carroll and Drew Fureno, to narrow the Dolphins' deficit to 6-2.
• Ty Syta then reached first base on an error by the STAC left fielder, allowing Michael Smith to come home, making it a 4-3 game.
• Wyatt Patchett tied the game on a two-out bases loaded walk, scoring Nick Nevins in the sixth.
• Following a Joseph Scamardella walk and Matthew Johnson single to open the bottom of the ninth inning, Andrew Jemison would bring the game to an end with single to right center field, scoring Scamardella, and giving the Spartans a 5-4 walk-off victory.

How It Happened Game 2

• In the second inning, Le Moyne jumped out to a 2-0 lead, via a one-out RBI sacrifice fly to center field by Zach Brush, scoring Ty Syta. Then Drew Fureno doubled to left field, plating Derrick Miller.
• Derrick Miller would line out to left field (sac-fly) in the fourth inning, with Ty Syta making his way home to push the Dolphins lead to 3-0.
• A Drew Carroll solo homer to left field off of Jaden Jorgenson in the fifth gave Le Moyne a 4-0 advantage.
• Brady Fureno provided the Dolphins with one final run in the sixth inning, on a double to right field, as brother Drew Fureno scored to make it a 5-0 game.

Top Performances

• Andrew Jemison drove in three runs, while tallying two hits, including a double on the day.
• Matthew Johnson went 3-for-6 in two games, with a run batted in.
• Andrew Guerra smacked a double among his two hits in six plate appearances, while recording an RBI.
• Aaron Dona got ball in the opener for St. Thomas Aquinas and pitched five solid innings, giving up two hits and two runs, while walking three and striking out four. Dona picked up a no-decision in the contest.
• Justin Baeyens, Yanni Orfanidis, Chris Ubner, Orin Winslow and James Reilly combined to throw four innings in relief, surrendering four hits and two runs, while walking eight and fanning six. Reilly picked up the win (1-0) for the Spartans, facing one batter in the top of the ninth inning.
• TJ Gregory started game two and hurled four innings, giving up four hits and three runs, while walking two and K'ing one. Gregory would be tagged with the loss (0-1) for STAC. 
• Jaden Jorgenson came on in relief and in the fifth inning and surrendered five hits and two runs, while walking one over two innings.

Facts & Figures

• The Spartans posted 5 runs on 10 hits, with 1 error, while Le Moyne earned 9 runs on 15 hits, with 1 error in two games.
• STAC pitchers struck out 11 Dolphins batters, while issuing 14 walks on the day.
• St. Thomas Aquinas stranded 13 runners on base. Le Moyne left 16 in both contests.

Up Next

St. Thomas Aquinas (1-1) continues its three-day Myrtle Beach tour, taking on Stonehill College on Saturday, February 26. First pitch is scheduled for 10:30am at the Ripken Experience.