Uniondale, N.Y. - The St. Thomas Aquinas College Baseball team rekindled their long-standing rivalry with Molloy University in an East Coast Conference doubleheader at the Mitchel Field Athletic Complex on Long Island. Unfortunately, the Spartans came out on the wrong side of a twin bill sweep, with the host Lions picking up 8-4 and 3-2 decisions.
STAC falls to 17-9 overall and 7-6 in ECC play, while Molloy improves to 18-7 and 12-2.
Game One: 8-4 Molloy
Molloy broke open a tight game with a late offensive surge, defeating St. Thomas Aquinas 8–4 in ECC action.
Fast Start on Both Sides
The Spartans jumped out early in the first inning. C.J. Cumbo sparked the offense with an RBI triple to center, and Tyler Haydt followed with a sacrifice fly to give St. Thomas Aquinas a quick 2–0 lead.
Molloy answered immediately, as Sean Welsh launched a two-run home run to right field, evening the score at 2–2 by the end of the opening frame.
Pitchers Settle In
Both teams quieted offensively over the next several innings as starting pitching took control. Andrew Schoelles worked through traffic but limited the damage, while Molloy's James Sill kept the Spartans in check despite allowing three runs (just one earned) across six innings.
St. Thomas Aquinas briefly regained the lead in the fourth when Joshua Mccormick came around to score on a passed ball, making it 3–2.
Seventh-Inning Shift
The game turned decisively in the seventh inning. Molloy capitalized on an opportunity with a string of clutch hits, beginning with a two-run single from Brian Sanchez to take the lead.
Sean Welsh followed with an RBI single, and Steve Mulqueen added another run-scoring hit as Molloy plated four runs in the inning to surge ahead, 6–3.
Insurance Adds Up
Molloy continued to apply pressure in the eighth, tacking on two more runs behind RBI singles from Welsh and Charlie Imhof to extend the lead to 8–3.
Late Push Falls Short
The Spartans showed life in the ninth, as Ryan Hillery drove in a run with a single, but the comeback attempt fell short.
On the Mound
Schoelles kept St. Thomas Aquinas competitive, allowing two runs over 5.2 innings. Christian Simonsen was charged with the loss after surrendering the go-ahead runs in the seventh, while Lorent Hoti covered the final two innings.
Molloy's bullpen closed the door, with Mike Knapp earning the win after striking out five over three innings of relief.
Key Performers
St. Thomas Aquinas
- C.J. Cumbo: 2-for-5, 3B, RBI, R
- Joshua Mccormick: 2-for-4, 2B, R
- Ryan Hillery: 1-for-5, RBI, R
- Nick Oelcher: 2-for-4, 2B
Molloy
- Sean Welsh: 3-for-5, HR, 4 RBI, 2 R
- Brian Sanchez: 3-for-5, 2 RBI, 2 R
- Steve Mulqueen: 2-for-4, RBI
- Joe Burriesci: 2-for-3, 2 R
Game Two: 3-2 Molloy (8 Innings)
In a tightly contested pitcher's duel, Molloy edged St. Thomas Aquinas, 3–2, with a late run breaking a seventh-inning tie.
Early Opportunities Limited
Both teams struggled to generate offense early, but Molloy struck first in the second inning. A sacrifice fly from John Franco brought home Charlie Imhof to give the Lions a 1–0 lead.
Molloy added another run in the fifth, capitalizing on pressure despite not recording a hit in the sequence. A run scored on a double play, extending the lead to 2–0.
Varela Keeps Spartans Close
Christian Varela delivered a strong outing for the Spartans, limiting Molloy to just three hits and one earned run over six innings while working around four walks. His ability to manage traffic kept St. Thomas Aquinas within striking distance throughout.
Seventh-Inning Response
The Spartans broke through in the seventh. Alex Celeiro and Joshua Mccormick helped spark the rally, and Kyle DeCresce delivered an RBI single to cut the deficit in half.
Moments later, Nick Oelcher lifted a sacrifice fly to bring home the tying run, evening the score at 2–2.
Late Decider
Molloy answered in the eighth, taking advantage of control issues. With the bases loaded, Jack Coogan was hit by a pitch, forcing in the game-winning run to make it 3–2.
On the Mound
Varela's six-inning effort set the tone for the Spartans, while James Garcia was charged with the loss after allowing the decisive run in the eighth.
For Molloy, JC Kiss held the Spartans in check through six innings, and Jayden Patel earned the win with two scoreless frames to finish the game.
Key Performers
St. Thomas Aquinas
- Kyle DeCresce: 1-for-3, RBI
- Joshua Mccormick: 1-for-4, R
- Alex Celeiro: 1-for-1, R
- C.J. Cumbo: 1-for-3
Molloy
- Charlie Imhof: 2-for-3, 2B, R
- John Franco: 1-for-2, 2B, RBI
- Brian Sanchez: 1-for-4, R
- Jack Coogan: 0-for-1, RBI
Up Next
STAC hosts Bloomsburg University in a non-conference doubleheader at Clover Stadium on Wednesday, April 8. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.