St. Thomas Aquinas College won both games of their doubleheader 8-7 to complete a four-game sweep of Molloy. It was a tough break for the Lions who had celebrated their Senior Day just before the first game.
Game one saw four lead changes between the two teams, starting with a first inning sacrifice fly from STAC’s Anthony Shkrelja. Molloy answered with two of their own in the second inning, one coming on a double by Anthony Galanoudis, and another on an Austin Nieves ground out.
STAC came back with a huge four run fifth inning, where runs scored on doubles by Shkrelja and Bobby Morse, a single from Greg Dawber and an error by Molloy. They led 5-2, but it would not last long.
Molloy responded with a monster inning of their own, scoring five runs to take a 7-5 lead. After an eight-pitch at bat Michael Rahn hit a single to center with the bases loaded and drove in two runs. Anthony Alberghina then drove in two more on a double, and Elijah Leerdam gave the Lions a two-run lead after coming home on a wild pitch.
Unfortunately for Molloy, their lead wouldn’t last as Morse hit a two-run home run to left center the very next inning. The game remained knotted at seven and eventually the two teams headed to extras.
In the top of the tenth Nicholas Lucchese led off with a double, and after a sacrifice bunt and a strike out Anthony Maisano drove him in with a two-out pinch-hit single. Now down 8-7 Molloy had their chance to come back yet again, but Chris Pennell sent them down in order. He threw the final 3 2/3 innings for STAC, he didn’t allow a hit and struck out three while walking one.
Morse had three hits, and Lucchese had two for STAC. Molloy’s shortstop, Brian Murphy, was the only Lion with multiple hits, recording three in game one.
Game two saw nearly as many lead changes, and four times as many home runs. The winds had picked up a bit between games, and with the heat the ball was flying out of the park like it was July.
Shkrelja got his side on the board in the top of the first with a two-out solo home run. Again Molloy immediately matched them with an RBI single through the right side by Rahn.
In the second STAC’s Michael Morgan hit the team’s second two-out solo home run in as many innings. But yet again Molloy matched them in the bottom of the same inning when Jake Saltzman scored on a wild pitch.
The Lions took the lead in the third on a solo shot to right that Angelo Navetta absolutely crushed. However, in the next two innings Lucchese really put his stamp on this game. The freshman drove in six runs in the fourth and fifth innings, wholloping a three-run homer over the fence in left before clearing the bases with a three-run triple the next inning.
After the game Lucchese said that he wasn’t looking to do too much in his at bats, he was just squared up two pitches and he happened to hit them well.
STAC was carrying a 8-3 lead into the bottom of the fifth, but doubles by Navetta and pinch hitter Sean Hogan and another single from Rahn closed the gap to 8-7. Yet STAC was able to hold on for the win thanks to a two inning save from George Navadel. Navadel surrendered just a hit and a walk while striking out two.
Lucchese, Shkrelja and Vincent Timpanelli lead STAC with two hits apiece. Murphy, Navetta and Rahn did the same for Molloy
STAC’s head coach Scott Muscat said: “Our guys don’t care what the score is, don’t care if we’re up or down. We’re still going to do what we do offensively, it shows a lot of heart… That’s the mark of a championship team, you score one or two more whether it’s 9-7 or 2-1 you just figure it out.”
Molloy will face off against Dominican College Wednesday before beginning a four-game series with LIU Post next weekend. STAC will play Dominican Tuesday, LIU Post Wednesday and then begin a four-game set with Mercy.
