Pomona, N.Y. - The St. Thomas Aquinas College Baseball team salvaged a doubleheader split against Mercy College with a 5-4 walk-off win in game two at Clover Stadium on Friday. The Spartans dropped the opener to the Mavericks by the same 5-4 count.

STAC moved to 10-13 overall and 4-2 in ECC play with the split, while Mercy is now 5-20 and 1-5.

HOW IT HAPPENED - GAME ONE

• The visiting Mavericks got themselves on the scoreboard first via a Steven Schoen three-run homer to the right-centerfield flag pulpit, in the first inning, to make it 3-0.
• Nick O'Connor answered for the maroon and gold with a second inning solo shot into the right field short porch to cut the deficit to 3-1.
• In the third inning, Joseph Gonzalez doubled to right-centerfield with Steven Schoen coming around to score to increase the Mercy lead to 4-1.
• David Potenza's RBU single through the right side of the infield, allowed Nick O'Connor to score, making it a 4-2 game in the sixth.
• What eventually turned out to be Mercy's game-winning run came in the seventh inning, as a Nolan Giblin single to right field, plated Sean McAdams to make it 5-2.
• STAC battled back to cut it to a one-run game in the bottom of the stanza, when first Billy Minett was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to bring C.J. Cumbo home and make it 5-3.
• Two batters later, Sean Lynch took a pitch up and in with the bases still full of Spartans, allowing Kyle Lagrutta to walk to the plate and reduce the margin on the scoreboard to just one, 5-4.
• The Spartans had chances in both the eighth and ninth innings to tie things and even take the lead, but the backend of the Mavericks bullpen kept things in check and held on for the one-run victory.

HOW IT HAPPENED - GAME TWO

• Mercy began the seven-inning affair much like it did the opening tilt, only this time scoring four first-inning runs. RBI Singles by Nolan Giblin, Joseph Gonzalez and Gabe Sanders, along with an error by the STAC left fielder, brought Jared Hernandez, Jaden Caballero, Giblin and Gonzalez around to score, making it 4-0.
• C.J. Cumbo got the Spartans on the scoreboard in the second inning with a solo homer to left field to cut the deficit to 4-1.
• In the fourth, Kyle DeCresce's 2-RBI single to centerfield, scored both Kyle Lagrutta and Gregory DiGiaro to make it a one-run game at 4-3.
• A Kyle Lagrutta sacrifice fly to right field with two on and one out in the bottom of the fifth inning, brought home Andrew Jemison to tie the score at 4-4.
• Following a Sean McAdams seventh inning double off of Spartans' reliever Mateo Reyes and then a subsequent wild pitch, which left McAdams standing on third base with two out, Nolan Giblin was issued an intentional walk and then eventually stole second base. However Reyes worked out of trouble with a strikeout of Steven Schoen to end the half inning.
• Andrew Jemison opened the bottom of the frame by working a walk and then stealing second base. However, teammates Nick O'Connor (foul out to third base) and Sean Lynch (ground out to shortstop) failed to bring in Jemison. Following a Kyle Lagrutta walk, it would be C.J. Cumbo who would play the hero and provide the walk-off RBI base knock to left field, with Jemison making his way to the plate to complete the comeback and give the Spartans a thrilling 5-4 victory.

STAC PERFORMANCES

• Kyle Lagrutta went 2-for-5 with two doubles, an RBI and 2 runs scored.
• C.J. Cumbo (3-for-8, 2 RBI, 2 runs) and Nick O'Connor (3-for-9, RBI, 2 runs) each hit solo homers on the day.
• Andrew Jemison stroked two hits in six at-bats for the Spartans.
• Kyle DeCresce (2 RBI), Peter DeVito, Sean Lynch (RBI) and David Potenza (RBI) all picked up clutch hits in the doubleheader.
• Aaron Dona took the ball for Spartans in game one and gave up nine hits and five runs (four earned) in seven innings of work. Dona also walked one and struck out seven. However, Dona was charged with the hard-luck loss and moves to 3-2 on the season
• Bryan Krolikowski pitched the final two innings out of the bullpen for STAC, only allowing a pair of hits.
• John Archer got the start in game two and pitched six innings, giving up five hits and four runs (three earned), while walking two and fanning four. Archer picked up the no-decision.
• Mateo Reyes pitched in and out of trouble for STAC in the seventh inning to earn his second win (2-1) of the campaign. The righty surrendered a hit and and a walk, while K'ing two Mavericks batters.

FACTS & FIGURES

• The Spartans posted 9 runs on 14 hits, with 3 errors, while Mercy earned 9 runs on 17 hits, with 2 errors in two games.
• STAC pitchers struck out 13 Mavericks batters, while issuing 4 walks on the day.
• St. Thomas Aquinas stranded 19 runners on base. Mercy left 14 in both contests.

UP NEXT

STAC continues this four game ECC series with Mercy College on Sunday, April 2 in Dobbs Ferry. First pitch between the Spartans and Mavericks is set for 12:00 p.m.