Sparkill, N.Y. - Carissa Della Vecchia's commanding 15-strikeout performance highlighted St. Thomas Aquinas College's doubleheader sweep of Molloy College on Tuesday afternoon in East Coast Conference softball action at Spartan Field. 

 

Della Vecchia's brilliant pitching powered STAC to a 2-1 win in game two, after the Lady Spartans posted a 7-2 victory in the opener. STAC maintained first place in the ECC with a 17-4 record and 24-18 overall. Molloy dropped to 10-10 in the conference and 22-27 overall. STAC is currently ranked ninth in the NCAA Division II's East Region rankings.

 

Della Vecchia surrendered a home run to Alex Burns in the first inning before settling down. The senior lefty turned in one of her most dominant collegiate performances with a two-hitter to go with 15 strikeouts. She also drove in the eventual winning with a clutch two-out single that capped a two-run rally in fifth inning. In the decisive rally, Tara Hagan led off with a single and pinch-runner Selena Davis moved to third base on two wild pitches. Freshman Abbie Landrum drove Davis in with a single and then scored on Della Vecchia's two-out single later in the inning. 

 

In the first game, Landrum pitched well and the offense accumulated 12 hits. She helped her own cause with a two-run double and a run-scoring sacrifice fly. Della Vecchia added three hits and two RBI while Hagan and Rudae Gadson stroked two hits each.

 

STAC next meets crosstown rival Dominican College on Thursday (April 28) in a non-conference doubleheader that begins at 3 p.m. at Spartan Field.