Early Homer Stands up, Goldey-Beacom Eliminates No. 17/18 St. Thomas Aquinas at NCAA East Regional, 2-1
RINDGE, N.H. (May 29, 2021) -- Freshman Garrett Musey hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the first and it held up for fifth-seeded Goldey-Beacom throughout the duration of Saturday’s late-night elimination game in the NCAA East Regional, hosted by Franklin Pierce University. The Lightning held on late to deal a 2-1 loss to second-seeded and No. 17/18 nationally ranked St. Thomas Aquinas at Pappas Field.
With the win, Goldey-Beacom improves to 21-8, and advances to play at 2 p.m. Sunday against Molloy. The winner will advance to meet Southern New Hampshire in the championship round. With the loss, St. Thomas Aquinas sees its season come to a close at 26-7.
The only offense Goldey-Beacom needed came quickly, in the bottom of the first. With two outs and a runner on first, Musey clubbed a ball deep over the fence in right-center for a home run estimated at 370 feet, his team-leading ninth of the season.
St. Thomas Aquinas halved the deficit in the fourth on an RBI single by sophomore Gregory DiGiaro, but never got any closer. The Spartans got the tying run to third with two outs in the ninth on the other side of 1 a.m. in Rindge, but Goldey-Beacom junior right-hander Trevor Jump fanned freshman Joseph Scamardella to chalk up his first save of the season.
Senior right-hander Bailey Spence (3-0) threw 99 pitches (54 strikes) over the first 5.2 innings for the Lightning. He allowed one run on three hits, walked four and struck out eight to pick up the win. Jump struck out seven over 3.1 scoreless innings to close it out.
Junior right-hander Aaron Dona (3-1) took the ball and the loss for St. Thomas Aquinas, after using 110 pitches (78 strikes) to get through six innings. He allowed two runs on five hits, walked one and piled up 11 strikeouts.