Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

Garden City, N.Y. - The Adelphi University baseball team split its first doubleheader of the season on Sunday, topping Saint Thomas Aquinas 8-7 on a 10th inning walkoff hit-by-pitch in game one before getting no-hit in a 4-1 six inning contest in the nightcap. The pair of non-league games at William J. Bonomo Field bring the Panthers to 3-1 on the season, while the Spartans stand at 3-4 overall.

In game one, sophomore John Campbell provided the offensive punch with a two run home run in the second inning and a sacrifice fly. Freshman Tyler Barrett delivered the game-tying base hit in the bottom of the ninth, and classmate Donato Signore drew a pinch-hit walkoff hit-by-pitch in his first collegiate at-bat in the bottom of the 10th inning to give the Panthers an 8-7 win. Junior Dillon McNamara was in line for the win after throwing five innings of shutout baseball with only three hits allowed, but senior Chris Murphy picked up the win in relief after the Spartans attacked Adelphi's bullpen for seven runs between the sixth, seventh and eighth innings.

Campbell's homer and sac fly helped the Panthers jump out to 3-0 lead after four innings, and senior Craig Matteo used a stolen base, wild pitch and botched pickoff attempt to score a fourth run in the fifth inning. McNamara cruised through the STAC lineup, but the Spartan bats came to life once the Panthers went to the bullpen. Seven runs in three innings, capped by a two run homer by Derek Hirsch in a four run eighth, gave the Spartans a two run lead as Adelphi came to bat in the ninth.

Facing defeat in the ninth, sophomore Richard Mejia smoked a line drive single up the middle to plate a run and cut the deficit to one, and Barrett drove a fly ball to right field that allowed pinch runner Nick Zito to score the tying run. Murphy worked a no-hit inning in the 10th, setting up the Panthers for a chance to steal a walkoff victory. Freshman Vincent Sharkey beat out an infield single with one away, moved to second on a Matteo single, and moved to third after junior Anthony Zarrella drew a walk to load the bases. Signore got the call to pinch hit, and wore a misplaced fastball in the thigh to bring Sharkey home and snag the 8-7 extra inning win.

After smacking 11 hits in the first game, the Adelphi bats did not fare as well in game two. Matt Marotta puzzled the Panthers from the first pitch and spun a no-hitter in a game that was agreed upon to last six innings due to limited sunlight. The senior hurler struck out five and walked four, earning the unconventional non-shutout no-no after a hit batter, fielding error and sac fly gave Adelphi a run in the fifth. Andrew Hancsack delivered the big blow for the Spartans with a bases-clearing double in sixth, helping STAC reclaim the lead that would hold up for good behind Marotta's mound work.

The Panthers take the field again on Tuesday against Nyack College at 2:30 p.m. in their last contest before heading to Florida for a string of non-league games.

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