The St. Thomas Aquinas College Baseball team looks to capture their fifth ECC Championship in program history, beginning on Friday at 3:00pm, when the top-seeded Spartans battle #2 Molloy College at Mitchel Field in Uniondale, NY. Game Two of the best-of-three format will take place at noon on Saturday. If necessary, Game Three will also take place on May 22, beginning at approximately 3pm.
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The Spartans (25-3, 17-3) - Regionally and Nationally-ranked throughout the season, the ECC Regular Season Champions, St. Thomas Aquinas College, enter the weekend with a 25-3 overall record, including a 17-3 mark, following a two-game sweep of Queens College in the semifinal round last Friday and Saturday. The offense is sparked by Andrew Jemison, who posts a .365 batting average with 27 RBI and 34 runs scored over 26 games played. James Versage enters the conference final hitting .354 with 34 RBI and 31 runs scored in 28 contests. ECC Pitcher of the Year Alex Mack (7-0, 1.15 ERA), Angelo Baez (5-0, 4.38 ERA) and Aaron Dona (3-0, 2.08 ERA) rank among the circuit's top pitchers, while James Reilly has shut the door on the opposition in the closer's role, recording four saves in 13 appearances.
The Lions (19-9, 15-4) - Molloy closed the 2021 regular season strong, winning 7 of their final 10 ECC games, including series victories over Mercy College and the University of Bridgeport in the season's final three weeks to secure a playoff berth. However, the Lions have had to sit idle through the semifinal round of the ECC Tournament due to COVID-19 health and safety protocols that forced their opponent, Mercy College to withdraw from postseason play. Sean Hogan powered the Lions in the regular season with a team-high .402 batting average, while Jake McCarthy and Matt Overton followed close behind with .375 and .363 batting averages, respectively. On the hill, Timothy Panetta has led Molloy's postseason push, posting a 5-2 record with a 3.49 ERA.
Regular Season Series (STAC, 2-1) -
Game 1 (April 23 at Palisades Credit Union Park):
St. Thomas Aquinas, down 6-3, rallied for five runs in the fifth inning and two in the sixth to beat Molloy 10-6.
Leading the STAC offense on the afternoon were Danny Di Marzo (3-for-4, HR, 3 RBI, 2 Runs Scored), Kyle Lagrutta (2-for-5, 2B, 2 RBI, 1 Run Scored), Greg DiGiaro (2-for-4, Double, RBI) and Anthony Maisano (2-for-5, 1 Run Scored).
On the mound, starter Angelo Baez picked up his third win of the season in four starts. Baez pitched 6.0 innings, giving up 9 hits and 6 runs (2 earned), while walking none and striking out 4 opposing batters. Justin Baeyens and James Reilly combined to pitch 3 scoreless innings in relief, while only surrendering 2 hits, walking 1 and striking out 3.
Games 2 & 3 (April 24 at Mitchel Field):
STAC earned a 6-2 victory in the opener, before falling to the Lions 13-12 in game two.
Leading the Spartan offense in the twin bill were Brian Donnelly (3-for-9, Home Run, 5 RBI and 2 Runs Scored), Matthew Johnson (4-for-9, 3 RBI, and a Run Scored), Danny Di Marzo (4-for-9, Double, RBI and 4 Runs Scored) and James Versage (3-for-7, 2 Doubles, 2 RBI, 2 Runs Scored). Andrew Jemison, Anthony Maisano, Sean Lynch, Greg DiGiaro, Kyle Lagrutta and Andrew Guerra also starred with their bats, posting 13 hits combined with 2 doubles, a triple, 4 RBI and 7 Runs Scored in 32 at-bats.
Game one starting pitcher Alex Mack pitched 7 innings, giving up 8 hits and 1 run (1 earned), while walking 1 and striking out 6 to pick up his fourth win of 2021. Mateo Reyes and T.J. Gregory combined to pitch 2 innings in relief, surrendering 3 hits and 1 run (1 earned), while walking 2 and fanning 1.
In game two, starter Aaron Dona pitched 4.0 innings, giving up 4 hits and 2 runs (2 earned), while walking 3 and striking out 4 Lions to get the no-decision. Relievers John Archer, Austen Martinez, Yanni Orfanidis and James Reilly combined for 2.1 innings pitched, surrendering 10 hits and 11 runs (11 earned), while walking 5 and striking out none. Reilly took the hard luck loss, with his record moving to 1-1 on the season.
In the Post-Season - With their regular-season conference championship, the Spartans have now won the regular-season crown in 2008, '12, '13, '16, '17, '18 and '21, and captured the tourney title in 2013, '14, '15 and '18. STAC is in search of its seventh NCAA Tournament appearance and ranked #1 in the most recent East Region rankings. The Spartans have won the East Region Championship in 2014 and '17, and were among the three finalists for the 2017 National Championship.
Molloy returns to the postseason, for the first time since 2018, in search of their first ECC title since 2001, when the Lions defeated Dowling College 12-2 to win the New York Collegiate Athletic Conference (now East Coast Conference) Championship.
What's Next? - The East Coast Conference Tournament Final is a best-of-three series for 2021. The winner of the series will be crowned ECC Champion and receive an automatic bid into the NCAA Division II East Regional Baseball Tournament, which is slated to begin on May 27.
All games during the championship will be broadcast LIVE on the ECC Sports Network.
Please Note that both St. Thomas Aquinas and Molloy are currently allowing no more than 200 spectators at Mitchel Field. For more details on the full spectator policy, click here.
2021 ECC Baseball Championship Final (Best-of-Three) Series
Friday, May 21
Game 1 - 3:00 PM - No. 2 Molloy vs. No. 1 St. Thomas Aquinas
Saturday, May 22
Game 2 - 12:00 PM - No. 2 Molloy vs. No. 1 St. Thomas Aquinas (Molloy will be Home Team)
Game 3 (If Necessary) - 3:00 PM - No. 2 Molloy vs. No. 1 St. Thomas Aquinas
(Broadcast info and schedule courtesy of the East Coast Conference)