The Saints added another badge to their 2009 season with a Regional Championship win over Gardner-Edgerton on Tuesday 10-1.  Saint Thomas Aquinas will head to Hummer Sports Park in Topeka next Friday for their shot a back-to-back State Championships.

Even with a State Championship to their credit, the players aren't taking anything for granted.  They began the season with a theme; "Never let your past success overshadow the hard work yet to be done"  The Saints know all to well that they can lose if they are not focused, but they have also learned that the can beat anyone they face if they put it all together.

5A State is turning out to be a very tight grouping of talented teams this year.  Lansing takes the top seed with just one loss for the season.  The next four spots came down to a coin flip, since Aquinas, Bishop Carroll, Andale/Garden Plain and Andover-Central are all going into the post-season 20-2.  Dispite being the defending State Champions, Aquinas didn't fair well in the coin toss event, drawing the number 5 seed and being paired with Andover-Central in the first round.

Saint Thomas Aquinas finished their regular season on Monday with a sweep of Blue Valley West 8-1 and 9-1, going undefeated in the East Kansas League and claiming the unblemished EKL crown.

Game 1

Saint Thomas Aquinas won their first six games before losing two at their Saints Classic.  Since then, the Saints have been on a rampage, winning their last 8 matches in a row leaving them at 16-2 for the season with just two games remaining.

The Saints hosted the Emporia Spartans at Lone Elm Park on Friday, and won the double header 8-1 and 6-0.

The Saints continued their East Kansas League sweep-fest by brushing aside Bishop Miege in their double header on Tuesday 10-0 (6 innings) and 4-1.

The Saints opened it up in the top of the first inning scoring 5 runs on walks by Andrea Piezuch and Jenna Boutte, an RBI single by Janessa Swinney, and RBI single by Ashley Dobbie, a single by Lauren Thimmesch, a single by Kellie White, and two Miege errors.

The weather could not stop Saint Thomas Aquinas and Blue Valley from getting their EKL league games in on Friday.  The Saints remain perfect in league competition with their sweep of Blue Valley in their double header. 

The Saints won the opener 1-0 in a pitching and defensive dual between the Saints junior Kellie White and MU bound Blue Valley pitcher Lindsey Muller. 

Saint Thomas Aquinas hosted their 11^th annual Saints Classic at Mid America West on Friday.  Teams competing were Holton, Blue Valley Northwest, Marysville, Blue Valley West and Aquinas.  Congratulations to Blue Valley Northwest for their championship win.

Scores summary:

Saint Thomas Aquinas hosted ELK rival Blue Valley Northwest on tax day for a marathon defensive struggle.  The Saints won the first game of the double header 1-0 in the bottom of the 10^th inning.

The Huskies stranded two runners in the first inning on two hits by Koziol and Brooke Thomason.  The Saints countered by stranding two runners of their own on two walks by Ellen Drummond and Ashley Dobbie in the bottom of the inning. 

Saint Thomas Aquinas softball traveled to WYCO park to take on the Piper Lady Pirates on Wednesday.  The Saints swept the double header, winning 4-2 and 13-0 (5 innings).  The Saints did not allow an earned run in either game.

Junior pitcher Kellie White struck out 13 and walked 1 in her 7 innings of work in the first game.  Senior Janessa Swinney and White went 2 for 3 at the plate.  Sophomore Jenna Boutte was 1 for 2.

Gardner-Edgerton hosted defending 5A State Champions Aquinas on Wednesday for the Saints first action of the 2009 softball season.

Aquinas won game one 13-0 in 5 innings by rune rule.  Saints junior pitcher Kellie White pitched a 1-hit shutout, striking out 8 and walking 2 in 5 innings.  Senior outfielder Janessa Swinney and Freshman catcher Halie Horn both had home runs in the game.