LYNDHURST, N.J. – A pinch-hit, walk-off single by junior Mike Farrell (Lincroft, NJ/Middletown South) capped Felician College's three-run ninth inning rally as the Golden Falcons came from behind to defeat visiting St. Thomas Aquinas College, 6-5, in non-conference baseball action on Friday afternoon at the Lyndhurst Recreation Complex.

Senior second-baseman Jimmy Simpson (Biscayne Park, FL) had driven in the tying run with a two-out single in the ninth and stolen second base during Farrell's at-bat to set up the game-winner. The rally gave redshirt freshman pitcher Jerry Vasto (Atlantic Highlands, NJ/Henry Hudson Regional) (1-2) his first collegiate victory. St. Thomas Aquinas (27-15) is ranked No. 5 in the most recent NCAA Division II East Region writers poll.

Felician (22-20) has won four consecutive games and 11 of its last 15. The Golden Falcons are two games over .500 for the first time this season.

STAC never trailed before the ninth inning The Spartans scored single runs in five frames, including the ninth to take a 5-3 edge. But STAC closer Joe DePool (New City, NY/Clarkstown South) (1-2) issued consecutive walks to start the bottom of the ninth, then uncorked a wild pitch to put runners on second and third.

DePool recovered to record a strikeout, and an RBI groundout by Gary Lavoie (Hillsborough, NJ/Hillsborough) still left the hosts down a run. Simpson, however, came through with a bouncer up the middle on an 0-and-2 count, plating George Hajjar (Utica, NY/Whitesboro) to tie the score. Simpson stole second uncontested on a 1-and-2 pitch to Farrell, and on the next DePool offering, Farrell sent a ground ball through the (opposite) right side. Simpson beat the relay throw to the plate to end the game.

Felician's first three runs in the game scored in unusual fashion, all coming with two outs. In the third, Simpson's pop-up to short right field fell untouched between two defenders for an RBI double. Lavoie reached first base on a wild pitch after striking out in the fifth, allowing Jay Collazo (Wall Township, NJ/Manasquan) to score from third base. And in the sixth, with runners on first and third, STAC starting pitcher Tim Tedesco (Mahwah, NJ/St. Joseph's) was called for a balk.

Tedesco pushed through seven innings in his no-decision, giving up three runs on six hits with six strikeouts and five walks. Vasto allowed two runs on four hits in four innings of relief work.

Simpson finished 2 for 3 with two RBI and Mickey Zudonyi (Holmdel, NJ/Holmdel) also had a pair of hits for Felician, which out-hit the Spartans, 8-7. Nick Barbalato (Mahopac, NY/Mahopac) scored twice and Derek Hirsch (Roslyn, NY/St. Dominic's) had an RBI triple for STAC, whose hits came from seven different players. The Spartans also stole six bases in the contest.

Felician completes Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference action with a doubleheader at Chestnut Hill College at noon on Saturday and a make-up home game against Concordia (N.Y.) College on Monday night.