Pomona, N.Y. - The St. Thomas Aquinas College Baseball team opened a four-game East Coast Conference set against Molloy University on Friday afternoon at Clover Stadium. Riding a 21-game winning streak, the red hot Lions continued offensive barrage, scoring 17 total runs, including a 12-run fifth inning, to beat the Spartans 17-4.
STAC falls to 23-17 overall and 12-11 in ECC play, while Molloy improves to 31-7 and 21-2, to push their string of victories to 22 consecutive contests.
17-4 Molloy
In an ECC matchup, St. Thomas Aquinas was overwhelmed by a massive middle-inning surge from Molloy, falling 17–4 despite a late offensive spark.
Early Opportunities, Missed Chances
Molloy struck first in the second inning, using a two-RBI double from Jeremy Taggart to take a 2–0 lead. They added another in the third on a sacrifice fly from Steve Mulqueen, building a steady 3–0 advantage.
While the Spartans kept things within reach early, they struggled to generate offense, managing just one hit through the first seven innings against a dominant outing from Molloy starter James Sill.
Fifth Inning Breaks It Open
The game turned decisively in the fifth, as control issues and defensive miscues unraveled things for St. Thomas Aquinas. Molloy exploded for 12 runs in the inning, capitalizing on walks, an error, and timely hitting.
Key blows included RBI singles from Sean Welsh and Mulqueen, a two-run single from Taggart, and a two-run hit from Mike Sweeney. The biggest swing came when Mulqueen launched a three-run homer to right, capping the inning and extending the lead to 15–0.
Late Push Falls Short
Molloy added two more runs in the eighth to push the margin to 17–0 before the Spartans finally broke through.
In the bottom half, St. Thomas Aquinas showed life, scoring four runs highlighted by a three-run home run from Yadier Flores. The rally accounted for all three of the Spartans' hits on the day but came too late to shift momentum.
Spartans Limited at the Plate
St. Thomas Aquinas was held to just three hits, with Yadier Flores providing the biggest impact with his eighth-inning home run and three RBIs. Kyle DeCresce added a double, while Joshua Mccormick recorded the team's other hit.
Despite turning multiple double plays defensively, the Spartans struck out 10 times and couldn't string together consistent at-bats against Molloy pitching.
Pitching and Big Inning the Difference
Control issues and one explosive inning proved costly for the Spartans. Cole Lindquist took the loss, allowing six runs on six hits over 4.1 innings, while William Fleck was charged with eight runs (five earned) on six hits in relief during the pivotal fifth. Frailin Jimenez allowed three runs (two earned) on three hits in 3 plus innings of work, and Robert Williams pitched a scoreless ninth.
On the other side, James Sill was dominant, tossing seven shutout innings while allowing just one hit and striking out seven to earn the win. Ziggy Cohen came on in relief in the eighth and gave up four runs on two hits, with Gabe Klarikaitis shutting the door on the maroon and gold in the final inning.
Top Performers
St. Thomas Aquinas
- Yadier Flores: 1-for-1, HR, 3 RBI, R
- Kyle DeCresce: 1-for-4, 2B
- Joshua Mccormick: 1-for-3, R
Molloy
- Steve Mulqueen: 4-for-5, HR, 5 RBI, 3 R
- Jeremy Taggart: 3-for-5, 2B, 5 RBI, R
- Mike Sweeney: 1-for-4, 2 RBI, R, 2 BB
- Sean Welsh: 2-for-3, RBI, 2 R
Up Next
After a day off due to the forecast of rain, the Spartans and Lions will play two on Sunday (April 26) at Clover Stadium. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. *Please note that STAC will be designated as the home team for the opener, while Molloy will be the home team in the nightcap.*