Uniondale, N.Y. - The St. Thomas Aquinas College Baseball team opened its quest for its first ECC Tournament title since 2018, taking on Queens College in the a first round game at the Mitchel Athletic Complex on Long Island. Despite scoring five runs over the seventh and eighth innings, the #2 seeded Spartans fell to the #3 seed Knights, 18-14.
STAC moves to 23-26 on the year and will take on #4 Mercy College (15-32) in an elimination game on Friday (May 12), which is scheduled for 10 a.m. in Uniondale. The Mavericks were downed by the defending ECC Champs and tournament hosts Molloy University, 12-4, earlier in the day.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
2nd - Andrew Ramirez reached first on a throwing error by p, advanced to second; Reed Hoskins advanced to third, scored on the error, unearned. 2-0 Queens
3rd - Anthony Fontana doubled to right field, RBI; Marc Cisco scored. 3-0 Queens
3rd - Reed Hoskins homered to left field, 2 RBI; Juan Da La Rosa scored. 5-0 Queens
4th - Marc Cisco doubled down the lf line, 2 RBI; Jayson Rodopoulos scored; Mike Freda scored. 7-0 Queens
4th - Anthony Fontana flied out to lf, sacrifice fly, RBI; Marc Cisco scored. 8-0 Queens
Queens
4th - Andrew Ramirez grounded out to 2b, RBI; Reed Hoskins advanced to second; Juan Da La Rosa advanced to third; Jorsixt Jimenez scored. 9-0 Queens
Queens
4th - Mike Freda walked, RBI; Matt Filip advanced to second; Reed Hoskins advanced to third; Juan Da La Rosa scored. 10-0 Queens
4th - Jayson Rodopoulos homered down the lf line, 4 RBI; Mike Freda scored; Matt Filip scored; Reed Hoskins scored. 14-0 Queens
4th - Billy Minett singled to right center, RBI; Gregory DiGiaro advanced to third; Nick O'Connor scored. 14-1 Queens
4th - Christopher Conti doubled to right center, RBI; Billy Minett advanced to third; Gregory DiGiaro scored. 14-2 Queens
St. Thomas Aquinas
4th - David Potenza reached first on a throwing error by 3b, advanced to third, RBI; Christopher Conti advanced to third, scored on the error; Billy Minett scored. 14-4 Queens
St. Thomas Aquinas
4th - Joseph Scamardella grounded out to ss, RBI; David Potenza scored, unearned. 14-5 Queens
5th - Reed Hoskins singled to center field, RBI; Anthony Fontana advanced to second; Jorsixt Jimenez scored, unearned. 15-5 Queens
5th - Andrew Ramirez doubled to left field, ground-rule, RBI; Reed Hoskins advanced to third; Anthony Fontana scored. 16-5 Queens
5th - Matt Filip flied out to cf, sacrifice fly, RBI; Andrew Ramirez advanced to third; Reed Hoskins scored. 17-5 Queens
St. Thomas Aquinas
5th - Billy Minett reached first on a fielding error by 3b, RBI; Nick O'Connor scored. 17-6 Queens
St. Thomas Aquinas
5th - David Potenza singled through the left side, RBI; Christopher Conti advanced to second; Gregory DiGiaro scored. 17-7 Queens
5th - Joseph Scamardella doubled to right center, RBI; David Potenza advanced to third; Christopher Conti scored. 17-8 Queens
6th - Jorsixt Jimenez doubled to right center, RBI; Marc Cisco scored. 18-8 Queens
6th - Gregory DiGiaro doubled to left field, RBI; Nick O'Connor scored. 18-9 Queens
St. Thomas Aquinas
7th - Nick O'Connor singled to center field, 2 RBI; Kyle Lagrutta advanced to second; Andrew Guerra scored; Joseph Scamardella scored. 18-11 Queens
St. Thomas Aquinas
7th - Billy Minett singled to center field, RBI; Nick O'Connor advanced to second; Kyle Lagrutta scored. 18-12 Queens
St. Thomas Aquinas
8th - Joseph Scamardella homered to left field, RBI. 18-13 Queens
St. Thomas Aquinas
8th - Nick O'Connor grounded out to 2b, RBI; Sean Lynch advanced to second; Andrew Guerra advanced to third; C.J. Cumbo scored. 18-14 Queens
STAC PERFORMANCES:
- Joseph Scamardella went 3-for-4 with a double, home run, three RBIs and two runs scored on the afternoon. He also drew a walk.
- Gregory DiGiaro (3-for-5, Double, RBI, 2 Runs, Walk) and Christopher Conti (1-for-6, Double, RBI, 2 Runs) recorded extra base hits for the Spartans.
- STAC also received hits from Andrew Guerra (2-for-5, Run, Walk), Kyle Lagrutta (1-for-4, Run, 2 Walks), Nick O'Connor (3-for-6, 3 RBIs, 3 Runs), Billy Minett (2-for-6, 3 RBIs, Run), David Potenza (1-for-5, 2 RBIs, Run).
- Aaron Dona got the start for STAC on Thursday and was tagged with his fourth loss of the year (6-4), allowing nine hits and nine runs (seven earned), while walking one and striking out five over three innings.
- John Dezago, Will Kindl, Ryan Callaghan and Robert Williams combined to hurl six innings in relief, surrendering eight hits and nine runs (eight earned), while walking four and fanning one.
FACTS & FIGURES:
- The Spartans posted 14 runs on 16 hits, with 3 errors, while Queens earned 18 runs on 17 hits, with 3 errors.
- STAC pitchers struck out 6 Knights batters, while issuing 5 walks on the day.
- St. Thomas Aquinas stranded 13 runners on base. Meanwhile Queens left 7 in the postseason contest.
2023 EAST COAST CONFERENCE BASEBALL TOURNAMENT
For More Information, visit the ECC Baseball Championship Central
PLAYOFF SCHEDULE - Hosted By Molloy University At Mitchel Field - Uniondale, N.Y.
Thursday, May 11
12:00 PM - No. 4 Mercy (4) vs. No. 1 Molloy (12)
3:00 PM - No. 3 Queens (18) vs. No. 2 St. Thomas Aquinas (14)
Friday, May 12
10:00 a.m. - No. 4 Mercy vs. No. 2 St. Thomas Aquinas
1:00 p.m. - No. 1 Molloy vs. No. 3 Queens
4:00 p.m. - Winner Game Three vs. Loser Game Four
Saturday, May 13
12:00 p.m. - Winner Game Four vs. Winner Game Five
If necessary - 30 minutes after the completion of Game Six
TICKET PRICING
Single Game Ticket
$8 - General Admission
$5 - Students with ID, Senior Citizens, Children Ages 5-12
Weekend Passes
$20 - Adults
* Children under 5 free for all games
** Tickets must be purchased at the link above. Cash will not be accepted so walkup tickets at the venue must be purchased through the ECC website (QR code will be available at the gate).
BROADCAST/LIVE STATISTICS INFORMATION
For those who cannot be in attendance, Thursday's Game will be broadcast LIVE on both the Spartan Sports Network and the ECC Network.
All games during the ECC championship will be broadcast live on the ECC Network website and the ECC Network app on Apple and Android mobile devices and on Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV, and Roku OTT streaming devices.
Live Statistics will also be available for fans to follow all of the game action, if you cannot make it to Mitchel Field or watch the web stream.