Clermont, Fla. - Stella Coira’s two-out, walk off single and Madison Puppolo's shutout pitching propelled St. Thomas Aquinas College to a sweep of its non-conference doubleheader with American International College on Monday to wrap up its eight-game, five-day Florida road trip. STAC won by scores of 9-0 and 5-4 in eight innings. 

 

Facing premier teams from across the country, STAC finished the trip on a three-game win streak and an overall 4-4 record that also included Sunday’s win over Bentley University (7-3) and Friday's win against Edinboro University of Pennsylvania (5-3).

 

Coira’s single capped a late-game rally that erased a 4-3 deficit. Freshman Sofia Marella drove in the tying double with a sixth-inning double. Eliana Raposo and Adriana Coira finished with two hits each and Sarah Clancy registered 11 strikeouts to post the win. In the nightcap, Puppolo was in total command. The senior allowed just three hits and struck out eight enroute to her second win of the season. Trin Santiago and Eliana Rapose homered to pace the offense while Marella had three hits and Santiago, Adriana Coira and Jess Feerick contributed two hits apiece. 

 

In the win over Bentley, STAC scored five runs in the fourth inning to take command of the game. Elyse Marcano’s three-run double highlighted the rally. Madison Puppolo pitched effectively to earn the victory. Adriana Coira led the winning attack with three hits and three runs scored. 

 

The Spartans scored twice in the top of the eighth inning in their win over Edinboro. Adriana Coira drove in the winning run with a sacrifice fly. Raposo led the offense with two stolen bases and a run scored. 

 

Stella Coira and Marella, both freshman, and junior Raposo were the hitting stars on the trip.

 

On the trip, STAC dropped games to Southwest Minnesota State (11-3), University of Sioux Falls (9-7), Minnesota State University at Mankato (6-1) and Bentley University (4-2). Mankato won the D2 national championship in 2017 and is one of the top programs in the nation. 

 

STAC, now 4-10, next meets Georgian Court University on Friday in a non-conference doubleheader that begins at 1:00 pm at Spartan Field.