Sparkill, N.Y. - St. Thomas Aquinas College was eliminatedy from the East Coast Conference Softball Tournament with losses to University of Bridgeport and Molloy College on Friday at Spartan Field.

 

In today's winner's bracket game, Bridgeport (35-14) clipped STAC, 4-2, behind Katie Burawski's 15 strikeouts. Molloy (24-32) registered a 4-1 win over Mercy College in the consolation round and then eliminated STAC, 4-1. Molloy and Bridgeport will meet tomorrow in the championship final. The first game is scheduled for noon, with a second game to follow, if necessary.

 

STAC, now 28-21, is under consideration for an at-large bid to the eight-team NCAA East Regional Tournament, which begins next Thursday (May 12). The bids will be announced Monday, May 9 at 10 a.m. STAC is currently ranked ninth in the weekly East Region poll.

 

Bridgeport jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning on two singles and two sacrifice fly balls. STAC cut its deficit in half in the bottom of the first inning when Emilie Olivier homered over the left field fence. STAC evened the score on Amanda Demmerle's run-producing walk. 

 

At that point, Burawski, who has pitched four no-hitters this year, settled down to take control of the game. The sophomore righty struck out eight batters in a row in one stretch and finished with a dominant three-hit, 15-strikeout performance. Bridgeport tallied single runs in the third and sixth innings to give Burawski the support she needed.

 

STAC's Carissa Della Vecchia pitched well in the loss allowing only four hits. 

 

In STAC's second game, Molloy broke open a scoreless game with three runs in the sixth inning. Molloy's Amanda King allowed only four hits to post the victory. Nikki MacDonald had two hits for the Lady Spartans.