Staten Island, NY | Playing in a doubleheader to introduce their three-game set, visiting St. Thomas Aquinas College got the better of the College of Staten Island on the baseball diamond today by scores of 6-0 & 9-6.  STAC, which played after a 20-day idle period, lifted to 8-0 overall and 2-0 within the ECC, while CSI fell to 1-8 overall, and 1-7 within the ECC.  The two teams will play the final game of their three-game series tomorrow afternoon in Sparkhill, N.Y.

GAME ONE
The story of the opener was the masterful performance of STAC starting pitcher Angelo Baez, who finalized seven of the nine innings, allowing just three hits, fanning 11 CSI batters while walking only two.  Offensively, the Spartans got all the runs they would in the game's second inning, when they touched CSI starter Thomas Joyce with three runs.  The bases were loaded with one out in the inning thanks to an Anthony Gonzalez single, Christopher Conti double, and a hit-by-pitch to Matthew Johnson.  Joyce then walked Anthony Maisiano to open the scoring at 1-0, and Andrew Jemison scorched a two-RBI single to complete the hot start.

STAC added a run in the third, before finishing their scoring in the fourth with two more, highlights by a Maisiano RBI-double.

CSI did have their chances, leaving eight runners on base in the opener, but each time the STAC defense was up to closing the door.  Thomas Marten singled in the seventh against Baez and Shendi Ulaj would walk to create a two-one with no one out situation, and even after the two were advanced on a wild pitch, Baez rose up to record a strikeout, pop out, and then another strikeout to end the threat.

Justin Baeyens came on to throw the final two scoreless innings of relief for STAC, while CSI reliever Steven Collica was also impressive, going four full innings, allowing just a single hit and walk while fanning three.  STAC out-hit CSI, 9-3, and were led by the performance of Jemison, who went 2-2 with three RBI, adding a sac fly and walk.  Danny Di Marzo also added a pair of hits.  Marten went 2-4 for the Dolphins in the game.

GAME TWO
The early innings belonged to the Dolphins in the second, seven-inning, affair, but STAC would score six unanswered runs to ultimately claim victory.  The Spartans seized the lead early, scratching out a run, aided by a CSI error, in the first inning off of John Esposito.  CSI, however, answered with a four-run response in their turn of the first against STAC starter Reyan Mustafoski.  Angel Santiago got the scoring started with an RBI-single to plate Domenick Castiglione, and then Joyce scored on an RBI grounder by Marten that advanced him via a STAC error.  Two batters later, CSI loaded the bases, and Salvatore Trancucci slammed a two-RBI single into right field to make it a 4-1 game.

STAC got a digit back in the second inning, but CSI got it immediately back in their turn of the second when Santiago chased in Louie Mandile, who led off the inning with a walk and a taken second base via steal.  Ryan Donnelly countered for STAC, lacing a solo homer to deep left field to cut CSI's advantage to 5-3, but then again, CSI countered.  STAC reliever Will Kindl would plunk Bryan Birkhead and would then walk Trancucci.  Trying to sacrifice, Nick Cippoletti would end up legging out a bunt to load the bags.  The Spartans were then able to turn a double-play, but not before CSI plated a run to take a 6-3 lead.  STAC, however, was able to escape the inning, and that fueled them for the next two innings that would help them seal the game.

Maisiano would score the first run after a fielder's choice, an advance to third on a Jemison double and a throwing error for CSI.  Di Marzo then added a two-RBI double of his own to knot the score at 6-6.  Esposito would get out of the frame, but the damage was done.  TJ Gregory then came on in relief for STAC and got the Spartans out of the fourth quickly and in the fifth, STAC took the lead for good with three more runs.  An inning opening error got things started and then a Billy Minnett double put runners at second and third.  Maisiano would single in Conti, and Minnett would score as well on another CSI error, part of seven on the game for the Dolphins.  Jemison added another RBI single as well.

Yanni Orfanidis, Mateo Reyes, and James Reilly then each pitched an inning of scoreless relief for the Spartans.  The Dolphins loaded the bases in the fifth in their best threat, but Orfanidis would strike out Santiago to end the threat.

Gregory took the win in relief, while Esposito took the loss, tossing 4.1 innings, allowing nine runs, six earned on 11 hits.  Michael Diforte pitched admirably in relief, tossing two hitless innings, walking two.  The Spartans out-hit the Dolphins, 11-6, with Jemison going 3-5 with an RBI and two runs scored, and Di Marzo going 2-4 with two RBI.  Santiago went 3-4 in the second game with two RBI and a run plated.

The two teams will meet for the third and final game in the set tomorrow at 1:00 PM in Sparkhill.

---

PHOTO GALLERY

---