The St. Thomas Aquinas College Baseball team has been ranked in several regional and national polls, released this week by the NCAA, National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association and Collegiate Baseball News.
NCAA East Region - Under Consideration *Note: In the 2020-2021 season, due to disparity of games played this season and the limited data available, schools are listed as “under consideration” in alphabetical order for championship selection.*
NCBWA East Region - 1st
NCBWA National - 15th
Collegiate Baseball News - 19th
After a 3-0 week, which saw the Spartans pick up sweep a 3-game road series from D'Youville College, the team now sits at 23-3 overall and 17-3 in ECC play. As a result of their record, STAC was crowned the 2021 East Coast Conference Regular Season Champion and will be the #1 overall seed in the upcoming postseason tournament.
Leading the STAC offense is Andrew Jemison (So./IF/Monroe, NY), hitting .383 (36-for-94) with nine doubles, two triples, a home run, 25 RBI and 31 runs scored in 24 games.
First year players Sean Lynch (C/Highland Mills, NY) and Billy Minett (C/Staten Island, NY) are also making big impacts in their inaugural seasons with the Spartans. Lynch holds a .422 batting average (19-for-45) with four doubles, a triple, a home run, 16 RBI and 10 runs scored in 16 games. Meanwhile, Minett is currently hitting .370 (10-for-27) with six doubles, a home run, 6 RBI and 4 runs scored in eight games. As a team, STAC is currently hitting .312 and carries a .425 on-base percentage, and a .487 slugging percentage.
STAC pitchers have also kept opposing hitters quiet (.228 Batting Average), as the staff has posted 23 wins in 26 games played, with a 3.99 ERA. In 218.2 innings pitched, maroon and gold hurlers have surrendered 194 hits, 129 runs (97 earned) and have walked 99, while fanning 257. Alex Mack leads all starters with perfect 6-0. Mack holds a 1.31 ERA in 48.0 innings pitched. Closer James Reilly is the team's saves leader, with four.
#1 seed St. Thomas Aquinas continues preparations for the upcoming ECC Baseball Tournament, which takes place Friday, May 14 and Saturday, May 15. The semifinal best-of-three series will take place at Palisades Credit Union Park against #4 seed Queens College. Start times for all semifinal series games are as follows: Game 1 - May 14/3:30pm, Game 2 - May 15/12pm, Game 3 (If Necessary) - May 15/3pm.
NCBWA East Region Poll - 5/10/21