St. Thomas Aquinas College’s first appearance in the East Coast Conference softball championship round against the University of Bridgeport has many interesting story lines.
Can STAC pull off another surprise against top-seeded Bridgeport, after its stunning win over second-seeded Molloy College in last weekend’s semifinals?
Who will prevail in the matchup between the ECC’s two best pitchers, STAC’s Carissa Della Vecchia and Bridgeport’s Kaite Burawski?
Can STAC avenge its 6-5, 11-inning heartbreaking loss to Bridgeport in the first round of the 2019 ECC playoffs?
The answers to those questions will help determine the winner of the best-of-three championship series between third-seeded STAC (24-11) and Bridgeport (20-7) that begins Friday at 2:30 p.m. The second game is scheduled for Saturday at noon with the third game, if needed, to follow at 2 p.m. All games will be played at Seaside Park in Bridgeport, Conn. The winner will earn an automatic berth in the NCAA East Region tourney that begins May 19 at St. Anselm College in Manchester, N.H. The regional champ will advance to the NCAA Div. II national championships in Colorado Springs, Colo.
The stakes could not be higher as the Spartans ride the momentum of its memorable semifinal win over regionally ranked Molloy (29-14). STAC had lost five straight games this season to Molloy before its two-game sweep on Saturday to clinch the series.
“We put it all together on Saturday when it mattered the most,” said STAC Head Coach Kristen Sullivan. “Bridgeport is a quality team that won the regular-season ECC championship. They can win games in many different ways, so our players will be tested in every facet of the game. We must play mistake-free softball.”
The teams split their four games during the regular season, but Della Vecchia and Burawski have yet to pitch against each other, so Friday’s first game promises to be an exciting matchup of two ECC first-team selections. Both pitchers saved the seasons for their teams last Saturday. Della Vecchia pitched every inning of two wins over Molloy and Burawski did the same in a sweep of Mercy College. Della Vecchia compiled an earned run average of 1.77 with a 14-6 record and 160 strikeouts in 122 innings. Burawski finished 13-3 with a 0.72 earned run average to go with 162 strikeouts in 116 innings. Sullivan has another mound option in senior Paige Toothaker, who won second-team All-ECC recognition after logging a 9-5 record.
Della Vecchia will be supported by a defense that is playing its best softball of the season now. Shortstop Nikki MacDonald, second baseman Kim Astrologo, catcher Amanda Schweitzer and centerfielder Missy Sadler have provided outstanding defense up the middle of the field.
Offensively, the Spartans have received important contributions from a host of players in the home stretch of the season. Sadler leads the team in almost every hitting category while Della Vecchia, Schweitzer and first baseman Amanda Castro are the cornerstones of the lineup. MacDonald, Sarah Williams, freshman Tara Hagan and Jailene Santiago have chipped in recently with timely hits.