Melbourne, Fla. — Spring break baseball in Florida has a rhythm all its own. The sun rises, the coffee kicks in, and before you know it, the Saints are back on the diamond again. Day two of Aquinas' Florida trip brought a unique twist as AQ squared off with Dickinson State in a doubleheader where each team took a turn as the home club. The long afternoon produced plenty of offense, a few big swings, and another valuable set of innings for a pitching staff that will be called upon often during the Saints' demanding nine-games-in-five-days Florida stretch.
Dickinson State 13, Aquinas 6 (Game 1 Saturday)
The opening game of the doubleheader began with a quick uphill climb for the Saints as Dickinson State capitalized on an explosive first inning.
After Aquinas went quietly in the top of the opening frame, Dickinson State strung together hits and took advantage of a couple early defensive miscues to push across seven runs and seize immediate control of the game.
Despite the early deficit, the Saints showed plenty of fight in the third inning. Brodie Gregory started the rally with a single before Blake Bennett worked a walk to place two runners aboard. Stephen Weinert then lined a single to load the bases and set the stage for Dylan Nguyen.
Nguyen delivered the biggest swing of the afternoon for the Saints, blasting a towering grand slam to center field that suddenly pulled Aquinas back within striking distance at 8–4.
The long ball was the highlight of a big day at the plate for Nguyen, who would later add another home run to finish the game with two round-trippers and five RBI.
Chase Robinson added a single during the offensive push, while Eric Bryce worked a walk later in the contest to keep pressure on the Dickinson State pitching staff.
Nguyen's second homer came in the fifth inning when he launched a solo shot to left field, trimming the margin to 13–5.
The Saints added one more run in the sixth inning as Ruston Whitten drew a walk and Hunter Doyle entered as a pinch runner. Austin Deller reached on a fielder's choice before Eric Bryce worked another walk to load the bases.
Brayden Monroe then delivered a sharp single to center field that plated Deller and capped the Saints' scoring at six runs.
Although Dickinson State maintained control the rest of the way, Aquinas continued to battle offensively behind Nguyen's power display while also receiving hits from Weinert, Gregory, Robinson, and Monroe.
Dickinson State 10, Aquinas 0 (Game 2 Saturday)
The second game of the doubleheader proved to be a tougher challenge offensively for the Saints as Dickinson State pitching controlled much of the contest.
Aaron Moore got the start on the mound for Aquinas and delivered a strong effort early, working four solid innings while keeping the Saints within striking distance through the middle portion of the game.
Dickinson State managed to push across runs in the second and third innings before breaking the game open with a big fifth inning.
Aidan Schauss came on in relief before Brendan Burch followed out of the bullpen, battling through a difficult stretch and continuing to log valuable innings for the Saints pitching staff.
Blake Bennett closed things out on the mound for Aquinas, tossing a clean final inning and keeping Dickinson State off the scoreboard in the seventh.
Offensively, the Saints collected four hits in the contest as Stephen Weinert, Dylan Nguyen, Chase Robinson, and Will Kovl each recorded singles.
Zachary Hayes also reached base with a walk later in the game, while Eric Bryce entered as a pinch runner as AQ continued to push for opportunities.
While the final score favored Dickinson State, the game provided another set of valuable innings for the Saints pitching staff as Aquinas continues navigating the demanding Florida schedule.
Saints Snapshot (Formerly - Inside the Numbers)
The Grand Slam — Dylan Nguyen delivered the offensive highlight of the day, blasting a third-inning grand slam that pulled the Saints right back into the opener.
The Power Display — Nguyen finished the day with two home runs and five RBI to lead the AQ offense.
The Strong Start — Aaron Moore gave the Saints four solid innings on the mound in the nightcap.
The Opportunity — With nine games scheduled in five days, the Florida trip continues to provide valuable innings for the Saints pitching staff.
The Growth — Saturday's games offered another chance for several Saints to gain experience during AQ's demanding Florida slate.
Coach's Comments
Following the doubleheader, Head Coach Chris LaMange pointed to both the bright spots and the lessons from a long day at the ballpark.
"Tough day at the park for the Saints," LaMange said. "Aaron Moore gave us a really strong four innings and Dylan Nguyen had the offensive highlight of the day with two home runs including a grand slam. This Florida trip is nine games in five days, which gives a lot of our pitchers opportunities to get on the mound, but unfortunately today we didn't have many guys ready to take advantage of those opportunities."
Up Next
The Saints will return to action Sunday playing in two separate venues for another busy day of baseball. Aquinas will first face Bellevue at the Chain of Lakes Complex with a 10:15 a.m. first pitch before returning to Lake Myrtle Sports Park later in the afternoon to take on Valley City State University at 5:15 p.m.
Be sure to visit AQSaints.com for live stats, streaming links, and full postgame coverage of AQ Baseball and all Saints athletics.
