Staten Island, N.Y. - Playing its third and fourth games against familiar foes in the span of three days, the St. Thomas Aquinas College Softball team settled for a conference doubleheader split against the College of Staten Island on Sunday at the CSI Softball Complex. The host Dolphins took the opener 5-3, before the Spartans were victorious, 7-1.

STAC moves to 21-16 and 9-3 in ECC play, while CSI goes to 14-16 and 2-8.

In game one, STAC raced out to a 1-0 lead via a first inning Eliana Raposo RBI sacrifice fly. However, Staten Island scored runs in the bottom of the frame and the fourth inning to go ahead 4-1. Adriana Coira's RBI ground out and Raposo's solo home run in the fifth, cut the deficit to 4-3. CSI added an insurance run in the sixth inning to secure a 5-3 victory.

Sarah Clancy (L, 11-9) got the start for the maroon and gold, but lasted just four innings. Clancy surrendered four runs (two earned) on four hits with five walks. Madison Puppolo came on in relief for the final two innings and allowed a run on a hit with a walk and a strikeout.

The second meeting of the day started with CSI posting their first, and only, run in the bottom of the first inning. STAC would then score three times in third inning to take the lead, as a defensive miscue by the Dolphins allowed Eliana Raposo to reach base and Elyse Marcano to score, followed by an RBI sac-fly from Sofia Marella and a run-scoring single by Trinadey Santiago to make it 3-1. Marella's fifth inning homer, combined with Marcano's RBI single and Raposo's two-run shot in the sixth, put the game out of reach at 7-1.   

Madison Puppolo (W, 10-5) took to the circle in the night cap and hurled seven spectacular innings, allowing one run on six hits with three Ks to pick up her tenth win of the campaign.

STAC next visits Mercy University for an ECC doubleheader on Tuesday, April 15. Game one between the Spartans and Mavericks is expected to get underway at 2:30 p.m. in Dobbs Ferry, New York.