Posted: Apr 11, 2023
Sparkill, N.Y. - Carissa Della Vecchia and Eliana Raposo hurled one-hit shutouts to propel St. Thomas Aquinas College to 8-0 and 1-0 wins over Alliance University today in a non-conference softball doubleheader at Spartan Field.
It was another memorable day for Della Vecchia, a left handed pitcher from Wappingers Falls, N.Y. She twirled a one-hit masterpiece with 11 strikeouts and just one walk. She struck out five consecutive batters at one point to stretch her record to 9-2. In addition, Della Vecchia's RBI single in the first inning was her 100th career hit. She is the 31st player in program history to reach the prestigious three-digit threshold.
The Spartans scored four runs in the first inning to give Della Vecchia all the support that she would need. Della Vecchia helped her own cause with a run-scoring single and teammates Amanda Demmerle and Sarah Williams also drove in runs. Junior Tara Hagan was the offensive star for the winners with three hits while Adriana Coira added a triple and Elyse Marcano had two hits and two steals.
The second game was a pitchers duel between Raposo and Alliance's Lynette Niebla. Alliance's best scoring threat came in the fifth inning when Sarah Nunuz drove a long fly ball to right center field where STAC's Demmerle made a tremendous diving catch to squelch the rally. In the bottom of the inning, STAC freshman DeAnna DeCaro homered over the right field fence to break the scoreless tie. It was her first collegiate round tripper.
Raposo recorded her first collegiate win with an outstanding performance. She retired the first 12 batters in the game and finished with an impressive one hitter with four strikeouts and just one walk. Coira (shortstop) and Sarah Williams (third base) also sparkled in the field.
The sweep pushed STAC's overall record to 16-9 while Alliance fell to 3-31. STAC next visits Pace University on Thursday in a non-conference twin bill that begins at 2:30 p.m.