Diaz has three-hit day

RINDGE, N.H. (May 15, 2015) – Senior catcher Tyler Fortanascio had a two-run single to key a three-run fifth inning on Friday afternoon, as No. 20 nationally ranked and third-seeded Southern New Hampshire picked up a 6-3 win over sixth-seeded St. Thomas Aquinas to stay alive on the second day of the NCAA Championship East Regional, hosted by Franklin Pierce at Dr. Arthur and Martha Pappas Field. Sophomore right-hander Alex Person struck out seven over eight innings on the hill for SNHU.

With the win, SNHU improves to 31-13 and will play another elimination game at 6:30 p.m. Saturday against top seed Franklin Pierce. With the loss, STAC falls to 28-18-1 and will face elimination against the loser of Friday's 7 p.m. game between Stonehill and Wilmington.

SNHU plated a single run in the first on an RBI single by graduate student designated hitter Mike Montville and a single run in the fourth on an RBI double by sophomore shortstop Zach Goldstein, before breaking the game open with three runs in the top of the fifth. Fortanascio had the keynote address with his two-run single to push the lead to 5-0, after junior first baseman Lorenzo Papa had cashed in the game's third run with an RBI single earlier in the frame.

St. Thomas Aquinas got three runs back in the bottom of the eighth, on a two-run double by senior third baseman Stanley Susana, who later scored on an RBI groundout. The Spartans could get no closer in the ninth, however, as junior right-hander Stephen Fortuna nailed things down for his second save of the season as SNHU finished off the 6-3 win.

Person threw 104 pitches (75 strikes) while logging the first eight innings on the mound for SNHU. He threw seven shutout frames before being touched up for three runs in the eighth. Ultimately, Person exited after allowing three runs on six hits, walked one and struck out seven to pick up the win (8-1).

Senior left-hander Nick May started on the hill for St. Thomas Aquinas and threw 39 pitches (22 strikes) over the first two innings. He allowed one run on three hits, walked two and struck out one while taking the loss (6-2). The bulk of the SNHU damage came against sophomore right-hander Anthony Morris, who fired 73 pitches (43 strikes) over the next 3.1 innings. He was ultimately charged with five runs on nine hits, walked two and struck out four.