The St. Thomas Aquinas softball team beat Mercy College, 9-8 and 8-7 on Saturday afternoon.  

In the first game of the day the Spartans fell behind 4-0 in the 2nd inning, highlighted by a 2-run home run from Mercy's Joelle Salisbury.  Amanda Gardiner added an RBI in the inning and the Maverick's took a 4-0 lead.  STAC's Nikolette Nevola answered with an RBI single to score Amanda Leone who reached on an error.  Alyssa Chelak gave the Spartans a one run lead with her 3 run home run, scoring Nevola and Briana Emanuele.  

The Spartans were hitting for power as freshmen Kelcy McGeehan added a 2 run home run to close out the inning with a 7-4 advantage.  Samantha McDonald reached with a double and scored off McGeehan's hit. 

STAC held the Mavericks scoreless in the top of the third and then addded two more runs to the scoreboard off a 2-run home run from Leone.  Leone's blast stretched the Spartans lead to 9-4.  

Mercy rallied in the 4th to score four runs off 3 hits and 4 errors from the Spartans to pull within one, 9-8.  Both teams tightened up their defense down the stretch and the Spartans held to Mavericks scoreless in the final three inning to secure the win.  Julie Sosnicki picked up the win on the mound for the Spartans.  

The action continued in game two, as the Spartans used some early inning runs to get out ahead of the Mavericks.  McGeehan and Erin McCarthy oped the 2nd inning with back to back home runs and Chelak answered with another 3-run bomb to give the Spartans a 5-0 lead.  Leone added another 2-run home run in the bottom of the 3rd and STAC held a 7-0 advantage through three innings.  

Mercy responded with three runs in the top of the 4th and was able to even things out with a four run 6th inning.  All tied up the game went into extra innings and the Spartans came away with the win in the 8th off an error from the Mavericks.  McGeehan walked and was replaced by Monica Tran to pinch run.  Emanuele reached on her bunt advancing Tran to second.  With one out, Nevola reached on an error and Tran was able to score, giving the Spartans the win.  

STAC will return to action on Tuesday when they host Queens College.