MIAMI GARDENS, Fla.- St. Thomas (4-15, 3-7 TSC) swept conference rival Ave Maria (18-13, 3-7 TSC) in a TSC midweek double header clash, by a final score of 2-0 in the first game and 1-0 in the second game at Col. Jacquelin J. Kelly Field Wednesday night.

In both games, there was an all-around effort being shown by the Bobcats from beginning to end. It was a great display on both offense and defense in the double header as STU earned a combined 12 hits in both games and two shutout games with some lights out pitching.

Game one featured a defensive duel between the Gyrenes and the Bobcats as there was a near complete shutout by both teams and amazing plays on the field.

St. Thomas scored early in the ball game and not a single score came about from either team the rest of the way. The solo score for the Bobcats came off a two RBI double down the left field line by Alliyah Sands as she brought in Nanet Manieri and Melody Grafals to put STU up 2-0.

The rest of the first game was in the hands of Jennifer Acevedo and Emily Santos. They both, combined, allowed only four hits and earned two and three strikeouts, respectively, with only walk given to AMU.

Sands capped off her first game with 2-for-3 line and two RBI as she also stole her two bases of the game in the bottom of the third inning. Grafals earned one run off of a 1-for-3 hitting performance.

Emily Santos recorded her first win of the season as she improved to 1-4 in a total of 4.1 innings pitched.

The second game had both teams in a scoreless deadlock from the beginning. It was the bat of Sands that defined the game as she blasted a solo shot over the left field wall to ultimately score the winning run for the Bobcats.

Alexis Castroman dominated on the mound in the second game, facing 23 batters, she pulled out with three strikeouts and only allowed five hits in the six innings she pitched.

Complimenting Castroman's brilliant pitching were some incredible plays on the defensive end. Most notably, GiGi Santos raced from left field all the way down to the edge of the grass by third base territory and dove for an incredible leaping catch that protected the Bobcats from conceding a run. The play happened with two outs left in the top of the fifth inning with a runner in scoring position.

As a team, St. Thomas only recorded five hits in game two of the double header, but they truly only needed one as the home run helped lift the team to a conference matchup sweep of the visiting Gyrenes.

Sands recorded yet another great effort in the second game of the night as she went 1-for-3 with a run scored and one RBI, as she hit her second homer of the season.

Next up for the Bobcats is an away conference doubleheader against Keiser on Wednesday, April 4 at 2/4 p.m. in West Palm Beach, Fla.


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Let's Go Bobcats!