Senior outfielder Drew Cremisino drove in four runs and junior lefthander Bryce Gapinski allowed one earned run in seven innings of work as St. Thomas defeated Aurora 8-3 in the 10:00 a.m. game Thursday at Prucha Field at Jim Miller Stadium in the Whitewater Regional of the NCAA III Baseball Championship Tournament.

The Tommies scored three times in the top of the first, with Cremisino doubling in the first two.  Aurora got one back in the second, but UST scored single runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth to widen their lead to 6-1.  Aurora added one in the seventh, St. Thomas two in the eighth, and the scoring ended with the Spartans' final run in the bottom of the ninth. 

St. Thomas totaled 11 hits, more than any of the six teams did in nine innings in the regional's first three games Wednesday. and UST batters were issued six walks. Tommies shortstop Tim Kahle led both teams with a 3x4 game, and three Tommies added two hits apiece. 

Gapinski (7-2) allowed three hits and did not walk a batter, striking out two. St. Thomas, 28-17 overall and 1-1 in the regional after a 3-2 loss to UW-Whitewater on Wednesday, will play Friday at 1:00. 

Aurora, 3-2 losers to UW-Stevens Point in ten innings Wednesday, ends the season 30-14.