The St. Thomas Aquinas College Baseball team continues play at the NCAA Division II East Region Championship on Friday, as the #2 seed Spartans take on their crosstown rivals and #6 seed Dominican College in an elimination game at Dr. Arthur and Martha Pappas Field on the campus of Franklin Pierce University in Rindge, N.H. First pitch between the Rockland County schools is scheduled for 11:00 am.
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How They Got Here - The Regular Season Champion Spartans swept Queens College in their Best-of-Three ECC Semifinal series, before losing back-to-back one-run games to Molloy College in the East Coast Conference Tournament Final. STAC earned an at-large bid into the East Regional, which is their seventh trip to the NCAA Division II Baseball Tournament. St. Thomas Aquinas College suffered a 3-0 setback to #5 seed Goldey-Beacom College in Thursday's regional opener.
Dominican College captured the CACC Tournament crown and an automatic bid into the East Region tourney with a 6-5 triumph over Thomas Jefferson University in the conference final. The Chargers dropped a 5-1 decision to top seed Southern New Hampshire University in their opening contest of the regional, also on Thursday.
The Spartans (25-6) - St. Thomas Aquinas was ranked #17 in the nation in this weeks Collegiate Baseball News poll and #18 by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association. STAC's offense is sparked by Andrew Jemison, who holds a .362 batting average, with 11 doubles, 27 RBI and 34 runs scored. Meanwhile, James Versage posts a .330 average with 12 doubles, 5 home runs, 35 RBI and 31 runs scored. On the mound, recently named NCBWA All-American Alex Mack (7-1, 1.61 ERA), along with teammates Angelo Baez (5-1, 4.09 ERA) and Aaron Dona (3-0, 2.08 ERA) rank among the circuit's top pitchers, while James Reilly holds a 1-2 record with four saves in 14 appearances and a 3.38 ERA.
The Chargers (19-14) - Dominican College defeated Bloomfield College, Caldwell University and Thomas Jefferson University in their CACC Tournament contests and went 6-4 in their final ten games leading up to the East Regional. Joshua Colon (.402 average, 11 doubles, 6 triples, 8 home runs, 37 RBI, 30 runs scored) and Richard Paulino (.398 avg., 14 doubles, 31 RBI, 28 runs scored) provide the threats in the Charger offense, while Jaden Diaz Lambert (6-2, 4.44 ERA), William Espinal (4-4, 5.63 ERA), and Eric Sandusky (2-1, 4.91 ERA) have set the tone on the hill.
Familiar Regular Season Foes - Although Dominican College and St. Thomas Aquinas College are separated by less than one mile and the teams have played each other 30 times since 2003, this will be the first-ever postseason meeting between the squads in the NCAA era. However, in regular season play STAC holds a 17-12-1 advantage over DC from 2003-2020. The schools did not meet during the 2021 season due to COVID-19 scheduling issues and protocol pauses.
In the Post-Season - With their regular-season conference championship, the Spartans have won the regular-season crown in 2008, '12, '13, '16, '17, '18 and '21, and captured the tourney title in 2013, '14, '15 and '18. STAC is making its seventh NCAA Tournament appearance 2013, '14, '15, '16, '17, '18 and '21. The Spartans have won the East Region Championship in 2014 and '17, and were among the three finalists for the 2017 National Championship.
Since 2010, the Chargers have won one CACC Regular Season title (2011), three CACC Tournament Championships (2010, '17 and '21) and are making their third NCAA Tournament appearance (2010, '17 and '21) in that same stretch.
What's Next? - The winner of this game will advance to tournament Game 8 on Saturday at 3:00 pm, taking on the loser of Game 6 between #3 Molloy and #5 Goldey-Beacom. The loser will be eliminated. The winner of the regional advances to the NCAA Division II Baseball Championship in Cary, North Carolina, which takes place June 5-12.
2021 NCAA BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP EAST REGIONAL
Hosted by Franklin Pierce University
Dr. Arthur and Martha Pappas Field (Rindge, N.H.)
Double elimination (seeds in parentheses)
Minimum 45 minutes between games, unless otherwise noted
Thursday, May 27
Game 1: Goldey-Beacom 3/St. Thomas Aquinas 0
Game 2: Molloy 13/Franklin Pierce 5
Game 3: Southern New Hampshire 5/Dominican 1
Friday, May 28
Game 4: #6 Dominican vs. #2 St. Thomas Aquinas - 11 a.m. (loser eliminated)
Game 5: #1 Southern New Hampshire vs. #4 Franklin Pierce - 3 p.m. (Game 2 Loser eliminated with loss)
Game 6: #5 Goldey-Beacom vs. #3 Molloy - 7 p.m.
If four teams remain after Game 6, the following schedule will be used:
Saturday, May 29
Game 7: Game 5 Winner vs. Game 6 Winner - 11 a.m.
Game 8: Game 6 Loser vs. Game 4 Winner - 3 p.m. (loser eliminated)
Game 9: Game 7 Loser vs. Game 8 Winner - 7 p.m. (loser eliminated)
Sunday, May 30
Game 10: Game 7 Winner vs. Game 9 Winner - Noon
Game 11: Game 10 rematch* - 40 minutes after conclusion of Game 10
* Game 11 only necessary if Game 9 Winner wins Game 10.
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If five teams remain after Game 6, the following schedule will be used:
Saturday, May 29
Game 7: Game 5 Loser vs. Game 6 Loser - 11 a.m. (loser eliminated)
Game 8: Game 5 Winner vs. Game 4 Winner - 3 p.m. (loser eliminated)
Game 9: Game 7 Winner vs. Game 6 Winner - 7 p.m. (Game 7 Winner eliminated with loss)
If two teams remain after Game 9, the following schedule will be used:
Sunday, May 30
Game 10: Game 8 Winner vs. Game 9 Winner - Noon
Game 11: Game 10 rematch* - 40 minutes after conclusion of Game 10
* Game 11 only necessary if Game 8 Winner wins Game 10.
If three teams remain after Game 9, the following schedule will be used:
Sunday, May 30
Game 10: Game 8 Winner vs. Game 9 Loser - Noon (loser eliminated)
Game 11: Game 9 Winner vs. Game 10 Winner - 3:30 p.m.
TICKET INFORMATION
In light of current COVID-19 guidelines issued by the state of New Hampshire and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Pappas Field will be open to spectators throughout the East Regional. Spectators must maintain appropriate social distance from participants and credentialed tournament staff at all times. Face masks will be required within designated areas of Pappas Field.
Spectator parking will be in the DiGregorio lot, which is located beyond left field at Pappas Field. The parking lot entrance is on Mountain Road.
Click here for a map of spectator areas (link will be added when it is available)
Tickets will be available at the gate to Pappas Field each day
Adults: $8
Children/Seniors: $5
College students with ID: $5
Children under two-years-old will be admitted free of charge.
Per NCAA policy, no complimentary admissions will be issued.
TRAVEL, PARKING & AREA INFORMATION
Directions
Campus Map (Spectator parking will be in DiGregorio lot, beyond left field of Pappas Field; parking lot entrance is on Mountain Road.)
LIVE STATS & VIDEO
Franklin Pierce will provide live stats and live video throughout the duration of the tournament. Details and links are available at the Championship Central web page via the Franklin Pierce University Athletics Website.