Pomona, N.Y. - The St. Thomas Aquinas College Baseball team put their undefeated 2026 Clover Stadium record on the line in a non-conference midweek doubleheader with Bloomsburg University on Wednesday afternoon. Early runs by the visiting Huskies in the opener propelled them to a 10-3 victory, with the Spartans returning the favor via early runs in the night cap to take a 10-5 decision.
STAC moves to 18-10 on the season, while Bloomsburg goes to 17-10.
Game One: 10-3 Bloomsburg
Bloomsburg jumped out early and never looked back, powering past St. Thomas Aquinas 10–3 behind a dominant offensive performance.
Early Control by Bloomsburg
Bloomsburg wasted no time setting the tone in the first inning. Dylan Hirsh delivered a two-run double down the right-field line, and moments later stole home as part of an aggressive sequence to give the visitors a 3–0 lead.
They added to the advantage in the second, as Grant Russo drove in a run with a double and Hirsh followed with an RBI single to extend the lead to 5–0.
Spartans Show Life in the Third
St. Thomas Aquinas responded in the third inning with a pair of big swings. Anthony Dimarco launched a solo home run to center, and A.J. Cumbo followed with an inside-the-park two-run homer to cut the deficit to 5–3.
Bloomsburg Pulls Away
Any momentum was short-lived, as Bloomsburg answered immediately in the fourth. Hirsh struck again with an RBI single, and the lead continued to grow with the help of a defensive miscue and a run-scoring hit from Casey O'Brien, making it 8–3.
Bloomsburg added the final touches in the seventh, when Hirsh capped his standout day with a two-run single to push the lead to 10–3.
Pitching Holds the Line
Bloomsburg used a mix of arms to contain the Spartans after the third inning. Kaden Peifer earned the win with two scoreless innings of relief, while the bullpen combined to limit further damage and preserve the lead.
For St. Thomas Aquinas, Frailin Jimenez took the loss after allowing five runs on seven hits over three innings. The Spartans' staff surrendered 13 hits and issued six walks in the game.
Key Performers
St. Thomas Aquinas
- Anthony Dimarco: 2-for-4, HR, RBI, R
- A.J. Cumbo: 2-for-2, HR (inside-the-park), 2 RBI, R
- C.J. Cumbo: 2-for-4
- Tyler Haydt: 1-for-2, R
Bloomsburg
- Dylan Hirsh: 4-for-5, 2B, 6 RBI, 2 R
- Grant Russo: 1-for-2, 2B, RBI, 3 R, 3 BB
- Matt Freda: 2-for-3, 2 R
- Drew Balestrini: 3-for-4, 2B, R
Game Two: 10-5 STAC
St. Thomas Aquinas responded in a big way in game two, using an early offensive burst to defeat Bloomsburg 10–5 and earn a split on the day.
Early Advantage for the Spartans
The Spartans struck first in the opening inning, taking advantage of a Bloomsburg error to grab a 1–0 lead.
After Bloomsburg tied the game in the second, St. Thomas Aquinas answered emphatically. Anthony Carrea delivered an RBI single, Ben Moscatiello added a steal of home, and Matthew Podesta capped the inning with a two-run double to put the Spartans ahead 5–1.
Building the Lead
St. Thomas Aquinas kept the pressure on in the third. Moscatiello came through again with a two-run single, extending the lead to 7–1.
Bloomsburg chipped away in the fifth inning, scoring three runs highlighted by a two-run single from Matt Freda to cut the deficit to 7–4.
Spartans Respond Late
The Spartans answered back in the bottom half of the fifth, capitalizing on another defensive miscue to push the lead to 8–4.
After Bloomsburg added a run in the sixth, St. Thomas Aquinas put the game out of reach. Christopher Merrill delivered a two-run single in the sixth inning to extend the advantage to 10–5.
Pitching Holds On
Raul Polanco earned the win in relief, allowing three runs on two hits over 2.1 innings while striking out three. The Spartans' bullpen combined to limit Bloomsburg to five hits, working around seven walks to secure the victory.
For Bloomsburg, Jack Carver took the loss after surrendering five runs (four earned) in just 1.1 innings.
Key Performers
St. Thomas Aquinas
- Christopher Merrill: 2-for-4, 2 RBI, R
- Ben Moscatiello: 2-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI, R
- Matthew Podesta: 1-for-3, 2B, 2 RBI, R
- Anthony Carrea: 1-for-2, RBI, 2 R
Bloomsburg
- Matt Freda: 1-for-3, 2 RBI
- Joe Levis: 1-for-2, 2 RBI, R
- Judah Miller: 1-for-2, 2 R
- Anthony Trommer: 1-for-2
Up Next
STAC returns to ECC play, visiting Queens College on Friday, April 10. The Spartans and Knights will first conclude their suspended contest from March 22 beginning at 1:00 p.m., followed by the regularly scheduled matchup at 3:00 p.m.