Myrtle Beach, S.C. - The St. Thomas Aquinas College Baseball team kicked off its 2024 season by opening a four-game series against Northeast-10 squads on Friday afternoon at the Ripken Experience. Dodging raindrops all day, the Spartans and Falcons were forced to scrap their scheduled doubleheader for a single non-conference contest. When the teams finally got on the diamond, Bentley took a 7-4 decision from the maroon and gold.

STAC slips to 0-1 on the season, while the Falcons move to 2-2 on the year.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

Bentley held a 3-2 lead after an eventful first inning. Tim Zupkus and Cory Bright both hit RBI singles in the frame, and a sacrifice by Jackson Walonis allowed Rizzuto to score the third run for the Falcons. 

In the second inning, Brian Lindsay belted a solo home run to push Bentley's lead to 4-2. 

Walonis drove in another run with a single in the third inning, but Bentley's three-run cushion didn't last for long. A two-run homer by the Spartans Sean Lynch made it a one-run game, 5-4, in the third stanza.

However, Eddy Beauregard added insurance runs in the fifth inning, delivering a two-run home run to extend the Falcons lead to 7-4.

STAC PERFORMANCES:

• Sean Lynch went 1-for-4, with a homerun, two RBI and a run scored on the afternoon.
• Gregory DiGiaro smacked a double in three at-bats for the Spartans, while driving in a run and scoring himself.
• STAC also received hits from Justin Klayman (1-for-3, Walk & Run), Kyle DeCresce (1-for-4), Chris Ewing (1-for-3, Walk)
• Andrew Alameda got the start for the maroon and gold on Friday and was charged with the loss (0-1), pitching just three innings, and allowing five runs on eight hits, while striking out two Falcons batters.
• Relievers Andrew Speranza, Jeremiah Vega and Kyle Rogers were each tasked with keeping STAC in the game for a possibly rally, and the trio combined to allow a hit and two runs over the final six innings, while walking five and fanning four. 

FACTS & FIGURES:

• The Spartans posted 4 runs on 5 hits, with 1 error, while Bentley earned 7 runs on 9 hits, with no errors.
• STAC pitchers struck out 6 Falcons batters, while issuing 5 walks on the day.
• St. Thomas Aquinas stranded 11 runners on base. Meanwhile Bentley left 19 in the contest.

UP NEXT:

STAC takes on Franklin Pierce University in a Saturday (February 24) twin bill at the Ripken Experience with game one getting underway at 10:00 a.m. and game two to follow around 1:00 p.m.