Rockville Centre, N.Y.- The top-seeded softball team fell to the second-seeded Spartans of Saint Thomas Aquinas College, who staved off elimination twice to win back-to-back East Coast Conference Championships. The Lions were defeated 3-0 in game six, forcing a winner-takes-all game seven, which went in favor of the Spartans, 8-1. Molloy, 30-22, sits on the bubble of next week's NCAA East Regional Tournament and will await Monday morning's selection show. 

Game 6: St. Thomas Aquinas 3, Molloy 0
How it Happened

• The Spartans struck first with a pair of singles that the stage for a sacrifice fly from Tara Hagan to give a 1-0 advantage in the opening inning.
• The lead would double in the fourth inning following a lead-off double from Eliana Raposo and an error, allowing Nayah Diaz to drive in a run with a fielder's choice. 
• The Lions threatened in the bottom of the sixth inning with two runners in scoring position following a single from senior Chrissie Huhn and a ground rule double over the center field wall from graduate student Alex Burns, but were unable to plate a run.
• A walk, a sacrifice bunt, and a single up the middle would extend the lead for the visitors to 3-0.
• The Lions were retired in order in the bottom of the seventh, forcing a decisive game seven.

Top Performances

• Burns and freshman Stevie Dabbadie each went 1-for-3 with a double.
• Huhn and McGurk both contributed one hit.
   

Game 7: St. Thomas Aquinas 8, Molloy 1
How it Happened

• The Spartans, the designated home team on the scoreboard for game seven, started the opening frame with a bunt single and a sacrifice bunt to put a runner in scoring position. A hit by pitch and a throwing error set Diaz up for a two-RBI single to right field.
• The Lions would record just one hit, a single from graduate student Steph Conrade, in the following three innings before STAC struck again.
• A single from Demmerle followed by a double from Elyse Marcano would put runners in position to score on Jessica Ferrick's sacrifice fly foul out and Hagan's single to center field, doubling the score to 4-0 in the bottom of the fifth.
• Molloy's best chance came in the top of the sixth with a lead-off double from Huhn followed by a single up the middle from Conrade.
• A sacrifice fly from Burns plated Huhn, putting Molloy on the board and cutting the deficit to three
• Dabbadie would reach on a fielding error and senior Katie Hand would walk to load the bases, but the Spartans would retire the inning before the Lions could further capitalize.
• STAC plated four runs on three hits and an error in the bottom of the sixth to round out the score at 8-1.

Top Performances

• Conrade led the offense with two hits.
• Burns and Huhn each recorded a double, with Burns adding an RBI.