Recap courtesy of St. Thomas Aquinas College Sports Information
PLEASANTVILLE, NY – St. Thomas Aquinas College Softball's outstanding 2025 Season came to end on Saturday afternoon in the NCAA East Regional Tournament.
The fifth-seeded Spartans dropped a 6-2 decision to tournament hosts and top seed Pace University, before falling to fourth-seeded Bentley University, 3-1, in a rematch of Thursday's opener at the four-team, double-elimination tourney played at the Pace Softball Field on the Westchester campus.
STAC closes its campaign at 31-21 overall and 16-4 in ECC play.
BOX SCORE GAME 1 | BOX SCORE GAME 2
After a day off due to heavy rain and unplayable field conditions, the Spartans returned to the diamond looking to steal a win from the Setters and propel themselves to the championship round on Sunday. A first inning RBI single by Sofia Marella, which scored Adriana Coira to make it 1-0 was just what the maroon and gold needed in order to set their plan into motion.
However, the hosts had other ideas and posted six runs via two run-scoring doubles and two RBI singles over the third and fifth innings to grab a commanding 6-1 lead. STAC narrowed the deficit to 6-2 in the sixth, courtesy of an RBI ground out by Eliana Raposo which brought home Elyse Marcano, but that would be all of the offense that the maroon and gold could muster, sending them to an elimination game later in the day.
In the circle, Sarah Clancy (L, 18-12) allowed six runs on seven hits with a strikeout over four and a third innings pitched. Madison Puppolo saw time in relief and gave up a hit and a walk with a K in an inning and two-thirds worth of work.
Facing a win or go home situation against Bentley, the sides could not put together sustained offense early on, with both teams showing off their pitching and defensive abilities. The Spartans were even able to turn a highlight reel 4-3-6 triple play to get starting pitcher Sarah Clancy out of a second inning jam. Bentley finally broke the stalemate in the sixth inning with a two-run single and an RBI ground out to make it 3-0. St. Thomas Aquinas responded in the bottom of the frame, as Eliana Raposo's RBI double brought home Adriana Coira to cut the deficit to 3-1. However, STAC could not rally all the way back and would bow out of the tournament with the two-run defeat.
Sarah Clancy (L, 18-13) returned to the circle one final time for the maroon and gold, surrendering two runs on four hits over five innings, before being replaced by Madison Puppolo, who would throw her final innings as a Spartan, and allowed a run on three hits in two innings of work.