Pomona, N.Y. - Runs were not in short supply on Tuesday afternoon at Clover Stadium, as the St. Thomas Aquinas College Baseball team closed out their season series with the College of Staten Island. A pair of six-run innings in the fourth and fifth propelled the "host" Dolphins to a 17-14 win over the Spartans.

STAC slips to 16-7 overall and 7-4 in ECC play, while CSI moves to 7-12 and 4-7.

17-14 CSI

In a back-and-forth offensive battle, Staten Island held off St. Thomas Aquinas, 17–14, in ECC action, overcoming an 18-hit performance by the Spartans with timely power and big innings.

Early Fireworks on Both Sides

St. Thomas Aquinas struck first in the opening inning when Anthony Dimarco launched a solo home run to take a 1–0 lead.

Staten Island answered in the second inning in a big way, as Jaden Waterman crushed a three-run homer to give the Dolphins a 3–1 advantage.

The Spartans responded with a four-run third inning. C.J. Cumbo delivered a two-run triple to tie the game, and after an error brought in another run, Joshua McCormick added a solo home run to make it 5–3.

Momentum Swings in the Middle Innings

Staten Island surged back in the fourth, capitalizing on key hits and miscues to plate six runs. Jamel Vera drove in two with a single, while Jack Kehoe added a two-run hit as the Dolphins reclaimed a 9–5 lead.

The game flipped again in the fifth when St. Thomas Aquinas erupted for six runs. RBI hits from Michael Zeis, Nick Oelcher, Ryan Hillery, and Cumbo—along with a costly error—pushed the Spartans ahead 11–9.

But the lead was short-lived. Staten Island answered immediately with another six-run inning in the bottom half. Jandel Brito delivered a two-run single before Kehoe blasted a two-run homer. Waterman followed with his second home run of the game, giving the Dolphins a 15–11 advantage.

Late Push Secures the Win

St. Thomas Aquinas continued to battle, scoring three runs in the sixth to cut the deficit to 15–14, highlighted by RBI hits from Cumbo and Dimarco.

However, Staten Island responded once again. Michael Flashner added an RBI single in the sixth, and Ryan Ortega provided insurance with a solo home run in the seventh to make it 17–14.

The Dolphins’ bullpen shut the door from there, holding the Spartans scoreless over the final three innings.

Pitching Holds Late

Alex Martinez earned the win in relief, while Nick Pusinelli and Michael Furst combined for three shutout innings to close out the game. Furst recorded the save.

Jeremiah Vega took the loss for St. Thomas Aquinas in relief.

Top Performers

St. Thomas Aquinas

• C.J. Cumbo: 3-for-4, 3B, 3 RBI, 3 R
• Anthony Dimarco: 4-for-5, HR, 2 RBI, 2 R
• Ryan Hillery: 3-for-6, RBI, 2 R
• Nick Oelcher: 2-for-4, 2B, RBI, 3 R

Staten Island

• Jaden Waterman: 2-for-5, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 3 R
• Jack Kehoe: 3-for-6, HR, 4 RBI, 2 R
• Jandel Brito: 2-for-4, 2 RBI, 2 R
• Michael Flashner: 2-for-5, RBI, 2 R

Up Next

STAC takes on Dominican University on Wednesday, April 1 at Clover Stadium, with first pitch scheduled for 7:00 p.m.