Box score

RINDGE, N.H. (May 20, 2016) -- Junior right-hander Anthony Morris took control of the nightcap on Friday at the NCAA East Regional for third-seeded St. Thomas Aquinas and never let go, as he authored a two-hit shutout at Dr. Arthur and Martha Pappas Field. The Spartans picked up a run each in the third and fourth innings and ultimately notched a 4-0 victory over seventh-seeded Dowling to cap the second day of the tournament, hosted by Franklin Pierce University.

With the win, St. Thomas Aquinas improves to 37-15 and advances to play at 7 p.m. on Saturday against top-seeded Franklin Pierce, with a spot in Monday's championship round on the line. With the loss, Dowling falls to 28-24 and will take on fifth-seeded Bridgeport in an elimination game at 3 p.m. on Saturday.

Morris (6-4) was the story of the night, as he used 122 pitches (81 strikes) to dispatch Dowling, while facing just 30 batters along the way. He surrendered only two hits in his third complete game of the season, walked two and struck out 10.

While Morris was mowing through the Dowling lineup, the Spartans' offense struck for single runs in the top of the third and fourth innings to stake him to a 2-0 lead. In the second, senior catcher Jonathan McGugan was hit by a pitch leading off, moved to second and third on singles and later scored on an RBI ground out by sophomore shortstop Joseph Pena. In the third, sophomore right fielder Giovanni Dingcong was hit by a pitch leading off and later scored on a five-pitch, bases-loaded walk issued to junior third baseman Greg Dawber.

St. Thomas Aquinas tacked on a pair of runs in the top of the eighth on a sacrifice fly by McGugan and a squeeze bunt by freshman center fielder Michael Morgan to create the 4-0 final.

For his part, freshman right-hander Chris Cepeda (7-1) started and fired 130 pitches (77 strikes) over eight innings on the hill for Dowling. He allowed four runs on five hits, walked three, hit four batters and struck out 10.