Matt Marotta

Spartans Sweep Rams in Double Header

The St. Thomas Aquinas baseball team beat Philadelphia University, 6-4 and 8-7 on Sunday afternoon.  Matt Marotta (Suffern, NY) went 4-for-8 with two RBIs, two doubles, two runs, a stolen base and a save between the two games. Kevin Connors (W. Babylon, NY) went 3-for-4, scored two runs, and stole a base in game one and scored two more runs with another stolen base in game two. In the second game Joe Giustino (Old Bethpage, NY) went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and a stolen base.

Game One Recap:  STAC 6  Philadelphia 4
The Spartans held a 3-0 lead heading into the 5th inning when Philadelphia scored all four of its runs in the bottom of the inning. STAC would answer immediately taking back the lead for good with a lead-off double by Marotta, followed be a triple from Dan McDermott (Levittown, NY), and a go ahead RBI single from George Wargo (Stony Point, NY). Matt Matkovich (Suffern, NY) picked up the victory in relief.
 
Game Two Recap:  STAC 8   Philadelphia 7
Behind Marotta and Giustino the Spartans built up an 8-3 lead, only to see it evaporate in the 7th inning. Marotta would come off of shortstop to stop the Philadelphia rally and pick up the save. Reliever Dave Schwartz (Nanuet, NY) notched the victory out of the pen, tossing 2.2 innings of relief, retiring seven out of eight batters, striking out three and walking none.