MANCHESTER N.H. – Robert Frank tossed a complete-game four-hitter as fourth-seeded St. Thomas Aquinas College staved off elimination from the 2014 NCAA Division II Baseball East Regional with a 6-1 win over top-seeded Southern New Hampshire University Friday afternoon at Penmen Field.  The Spartans improve to 35-16 and will face Felician College on Saturday, while SNHU, now 40-13, will face either Dowling College or Wilmington (Del.) University on Saturday.

Frank struck out 13 in his complete-game effort while walking just three.  Two of SNHU's four hits came in the first inning as the Penmen scored their only run as a Riley Palmer (Goffstown, N.H.) single plated Manny Cruz (Wolcott, Conn.).

SNHU, playing as the visitors, staked themselves to the 1-0 lead in the first frame, before STAC plated three runs to take a 3-1 lead in the bottom half of the third.  After Stephen Sunday led off with a single, No. 9 hitter Nick D'Angelo belted a two-run home run to left to make it 2-1.  The next batter, Stanley Susana, doubled, and he eventually scored on a bunt single on a squeeze attempt by Rich Baerga.

The Spartans grabbed two more runs in a bottom of the fifth interrupted by rain.  Precipitation had started early, but picked up in the bottom of the fifth as reliever Alex Person (Foxboro, Mass.) gave up a leadoff single to D'Angelo and a one-out walk to Kenny Kirshner.  At that point, umpires called for the tarp, resulting in the game being delayed for just over an hour.

After play resumed, Ian Searles (Wareham, Mass.) came on for Person, and nearly got out of the jam that intensified after both runners advanced on a double steal on the first pitch.  Rich Baerga grounded out, and Derek Hirsch grounded up the middle, but shortstop Cruz was able to get to hit.  His throw to first skipped past first base, allowing two runs to score.

St. Thomas Aquinas plated its final run as Kirshner singled with one out and scored on a Hirsch single.

Tim Viehoff (Derry, N.H.) took the loss for the Penmen, allowing four hits and three runs in his 2.1 innings of work.

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