The Spartans notched another ECC win with a 14-10 win over Bridgeport . The win is STAC's 7th in their last 9 conference games and puts them in sole possession of 4th place in the crowded East Coast Conference playoff race.
Lead-off hitter John Mazzello set the tone by delivering a homerun over the centerfield fence in the 1st at-bat of the game. Three batters later Javier Diaz lined a 2-run homer over the left field fence, followed by a mammoth solo shot to right by Vincent Malzahn, and just like that Spartans had a 4-0 lead which they never relinquished.
Starting pitcher Chris Skrypack tamed the conference leading Bridgeport bats, scattering 7 hits, and striking out 6 in six innings of work. By the 7th STAC had built an 11-5 lead and appeared to be cruising to their 7th ECC victory, but a Spartan error and a Brideport 3-run homer would lead to 5 unearned Bridgeport runs in the 8th, trimming the lead to 11-10. The Spartans would respond in the 9th. After an Ottice Reda lead-off walk, Mazzello would strike again with a sacrifice line drive to center scoring pinch-runner Pat Murray. They would tack on 2 more runs on successive RBI hits from John Muller and Diaz, and reliever Jonathan Della Monica would secure the win win two groundouts and a strikeout in the 9th.
For the game, Mazzello went 3-for-3, 2 RBIs, 2 runs scored, a walk, a stolen base, and a homer. Muller went 2-for-6 with 2 doubles, 3 RBIs, and a stolen base. Diaz went 2-for-5 with 3 RBIs, and a homer (7th). Malzahn went 3-for-5, 2 runs, and an RBI off his solo homer (8th). Ottice Reda went 2-for-3, scoring 3 times, walking twice, and driving in a run.