The St. Thomas Aquinas College baseball team continued it's impressive season, standing #6 in a pair of East Regional polls. On the strength of his no-hitter, Rob Frank was named Pitcher of the Week by the East Coast Conference and in the entire region by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association, while Rich Baerga took ECC Player of the Week kudos.

After seeing their five-game winning streak snapped in the final game of the week, the Spartans record stood at 14-7 overall, with their 5-2 conference mark putting them in a tie for first place in the East Coast Conference. Their 3-1 week was enough to retain their #6 ranking in the East from d2baseball.com, and to move up one slot in the NCBWA poll, also occupying the #6 slot. (Please see links below for rankings and standings)

Frank (pictured right), turned in a gem to earn both conference and regional pitcher honors. On Thursday, March 28, he tossed a seven-inning complete-game no-hitter against the University of Bridgeport, allowing just an unearned run in a 16-1 STAC victory. Along the way, he struck out nine batters while walking five.

Baerga (pictured left) became an unlikely hero in the Spartans' success. After struggling at the plate in the early weeks, it was Baerga's sac fly that brought in the only run in the 16th inning of STAC's marathon win at Dowling on March 24.

While that game was not considered for this week's honors, it proved to be the springboard to a tremendous outburst, as the sophomore earned three starts (all STAC victories) in the four wins, going 7-for-14 on the week with a pair of stolen bases. He had the walk-off RBI single in the opener against Bridgeport last Thursday, and added four hits to support Frank's no-hitter in the nightcap.

Continuing that momentum, Baerga started the new week in style, going 6-for-6 in the Spartans' 14-4 victory over Bridgeport at Provident Bank Park on Monday, April 1. He now has 13 hits in his last 20 at bats to raise his season average to .350.

St. Thomas Aquinas returns to the field for a non-conference tilt against Caldwell College at Provident Bank Park on Wednesday, April 3, at 3:00 pm, before starting a four-game ECC set this weekend against Molloy College. That series starts at Provident Bank Park on Friday, April 5, also at 3:00 pm.

- Latest East Coast Conference standings

- Weekly Poll From d2baseball.com

- Weekly Poll From NCBWA (current poll is 3/25 - rankings for 4/1 should be posted shortly)