UNIONDALE, N.Y. (March 29, 2017) - Junior Angelo Navetta (Staten Island, N.Y.) hit two home runs, drove in four runs, and recorded three hits, but the Molloy baseball team lost to the St. Thomas Aquinas Spartans, 6-5, Wednesday afternoon at the Mitchel Athletic Complex. The Lions moved to 6-14 overall and 1-1 in East Coast Conference play.

Molloy opened the scoring in the first inning. Senior Kevin Podell (Wantagh, N.Y.) singled with one out. Navetta followed the base hit with a two-run homer to right field to put the maroon and white ahead 2-0.

St. Thomas Aquinas (12-9, 3-2 ECC) responded in the top of the second. Junior Giovanni Dingcong (Daly City, Calif) hit a solo home run to make it 2-1. Later in the frame, redshirt senior Joe Boland (Hyde Park, N.Y.) hit a RBI ground out to knot the score, 2-2.

The Lions jumped back ahead in the third. Navetta started the rally with a two-out double. Redshirt senior Michael Rahn (Sayville, N.Y.) drove in Navetta with a double to make it 3-2.

In the sixth, STAC junior Anthony Shkrelja (Bedford Hill, N.Y.) hit a RBI double to tie the score at three.

The Spartans took the lead in the seventh inning. Junior Joseph Pena (Brooklyn, N.Y.) hit a RBI triple to right center to make it 4-3. Pena then scored on a wild pitch, which increased the lead to 5-3.

St. Thomas added an insurance run in the top of the ninth to make it 6-3.

Molloy fought back in the final stanza. Senior Brian Murphy (Elmont, N.Y.) doubled down the left field line with one out. With Murphy on second, Navetta drilled a two-run blast to right to cut the lead to 6-5, but that was as close as the Lions would get.

Junior Anthony Catinella (Middle Village, N.Y.) pitched 6.1 innings, gave up five runs on eight hits, and struck out six in the loss.

The Lions return to the Mitchel Athletic Complex Friday (Mar.31) when they take on the University of Bridgeport Purple Knights. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.