Uniondale, N.Y. – The Molloy baseball team defeated the Spartans of Saint Thomas Aquinas College, 10-9, to earn a series split Sunday afternoon at Mitchel Field. The Lions improve to 24-13 overall and 12-4 in ECC play, while the Spartans move to 17-17 overall and 11-5 in league play.
 
How it Happened

• Molloy cracked the scoreboard first when junior Matt Yip blasted a home run over the left field fence to take a 1-0 after two innings of action.
• STAC rallied for four runs in the top of the fourth to jump ahead, 4-1.
• The Lions answered in the bottom of the frame when Chris Peralta stepped in and belted a two-run home run to cut the deficit to one, 4-3.
• The home team knotted the contest at four in the next inning following an RBI double from junior Aidan Larkin.
• The cardinal and white continued to stay hot at the plate in the sixth inning. With the bases loaded, junior Gavin McAlonie drove in two runs with a single up the middle, junior Anthony Manisero scored a run with a ground out, and Peralta brought home a pair of runs with a single to push Molloy in front, 9-4.
• The road team threatened in the top of the seventh putting runners on second and third, but graduate student Brian Morrisey induced a fly out to get out of the jam.
• Molloy tacked on its ninth consecutive run in the seventh off a Manisero RBI single to take its largest lead of the afternoon, 10-4.
• The Spartans totaled two runs in the eighth inning to keep the Lions within range, 10-6.
• After a lead off line out, STAC put two runners on with one out and capitalized on the opportunity when Greg DiGiaro hit a three-run home run to bring the game within one, 10-9.
• Senior Richard Gennaro was called out of the bullpen to get the final two outs and would do so successfully, forcing a pair of fly outs to clinch the victory, 10-9.

Top Performances

• Peralta led the way with three hits and a game-high four RBIs.
• Larkin reached base four times on three hits and drove in a run.
• McAlonie and Manisero tallied two hits, two RBI, and one run scored each.
• Morrisey pitched 7.2 innings allowing 10 hits, six runs, three earned, and struck out six to move to 5-2 on the campaign.
• Gennaro picked up his second save of the season.

Up Next
The Lions will step out of conference play to travel to Pace Tuesday, April 18. The contest with the Setters will begin at 3:00 p.m.