Sparkill, N.Y. - As the temperatures begin to heat up on the East Coast, the St. Thomas Aquinas College Softball team is doing the same with their play on the field, as the maroon and gold picked up a crucial East Coast Conference doubleheader sweep of Mercy University on Tuesday afternoon at Spartan Field.
A 10-2 run-ruled final, combined with a 5-4 walk-off win gives the Spartans (20-12, 10-2 ECC) their sixth straight season of 20 wins or more, and they have also impressively hit the mark in seven of last eight seasons. (2020 season cancelled due to COVID-19 Pandemic).
Game One: 10-2 STAC (5 Innings)
St. Thomas Aquinas continued its dominant day with another run-rule victory, defeating Mercy, 10–2, behind a power-filled offensive attack and another strong outing in the circle.
Fast Start in the First
The Spartans wasted no time getting on the board. Adriana Coira led off the scoring with a double down the right field line and later came around to score on a Mercy error. Elyse Marcano also crossed the plate in the inning, giving St. Thomas Aquinas an early 2–0 lead.
Mercy Briefly Answers
Mercy responded in the second inning, capitalizing on a pair of Spartan miscues. Dylan Reyer drove in a run on a fielder's choice, and Allison Murphy followed with an RBI single to tie the game at 2-2.
Spartans Take Control in the Third
St. Thomas Aquinas quickly reclaimed the lead in the third. Trinadey Santiago delivered an RBI double to put the Spartans ahead 3-2, and Yazmine Garcia followed with a two-run home run to left-center, putting the maroon and gold up 5-2.
Power Display Seals It
The Spartans broke the game open over the final two innings. In the fourth, Nayah Diaz launched a solo home run, Olivia Leon added an RBI double, and Sofia Marella chipped in with an RBI groundout to extend the lead to 8–2.
Diaz struck again in the fifth with a two-run homer—her second of the game—to cap the scoring and secure the 10–2 run-rule victory.
Falk Strong Again
Lauren Falk earned the win with another complete-game effort, allowing just four hits and two unearned runs over five innings while striking out one and walking none.
Key Performers
St. Thomas Aquinas
- Nayah Diaz: 2-for-3, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 2 R
- Yazmine Garcia: 1-for-3, HR, 2 RBI, R
- Elyse Marcano: 2-for-2, 2 R
- Olivia Leon: 2-for-3, 2B, RBI, R
- Trinadey Santiago: 1-for-3, 2B, RBI, R
Mercy
- Allison Murphy: 1-for-2, RBI
- Averi Miller: 1-for-3
- Madelyn Perrone: 1-for-2
- Jessica Fox: 1-for-2, R
Game Two: 5-4 STAC
St. Thomas Aquinas delivered late-game heroics to edge Mercy, 5–4, in a tightly contested ECC matchup, using a big swing early and a clutch blast to seal it in the final inning.
Early Pitchers' Duel
For the first three innings, both teams were locked in a scoreless battle. Emma Grace Popp kept Mercy off balance, while Lauren McSweeney matched her effort in the circle as neither lineup could break through.
Spartans Strike First
St. Thomas Aquinas broke the game open in the fourth inning in dramatic fashion. Alyssa Haberstroh launched a grand slam to right-center, bringing home Yazmine Garcia, Olivia Leon, and Emma Grace Popp to give the Spartans a 4–0 advantage.
Mercy Rallies
Mercy stormed back in the sixth inning with a four-run rally to tie the game.
Allison Murphy started the scoring with an RBI double, followed by run-scoring singles from Madelyn Perrone and Emma Jackson. Onnika DeBruhl capped the inning with a sacrifice fly, evening the score at 4–4 and shifting momentum.
Walk-Off Winner
With the game tied in the seventh, Adriana Coira stepped up and delivered the decisive blow, crushing a solo home run to center field to walk it off and secure the 5–4 victory for the Spartans. For Coira, the blast was the first her four-year in collegiate career.
Popp Goes the Distance
Emma Grace Popp earned the win with another complete-game effort, allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits while striking out six and walking two.
Key Performers
St. Thomas Aquinas
- Alyssa Haberstroh: 2-for-3, HR, 4 RBI, 1 R
- Adriana Coira: 2-for-4, HR, RBI, R, SB
- Olivia Leon: 1-for-2, R, BB
- Nayah Diaz: 1-for-3
Mercy
- Allison Murphy: 1-for-4, 2B, RBI, R
- Madelyn Perrone: 1-for-2, RBI
- Emma Jackson: 1-for-3, RBI
- Mikaela Mammola: 1-for-3, R
Up Next
STAC shuffles off to Buffalo, for a pair of games against D'Youville University on Friday, April 17. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.