DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Feb. 15, 2018) – The 2018 campaign looks to be a season of change for the Mercy College baseball team under Head Coach Chris Schoen with 25 newcomers joining the squad for this season.
The Mavericks look to increase their win total from last season and will look to qualify for a spot in the ECC Tournament for the first time since 2010. Mercy, picked seventh in the ECC Preseason Coaches Poll, will look to prove the conference coaches wrong as they open up the 2018 season in North Carolina against Barton College on Saturday, February 17th. Schoen will rely on the leadership of captains Joseph Sadallah, John Mooradian, John Young and Tyler Cinelli to help get the Mavericks back to the ECC Tournament.
"We enter 2018 with high hopes as we have revamped the coaching staff and roster by adding three new coaches and 25 newcomers," stated Schoen.
Infield
Leading the infield for Mercy will be Mooradian at shortstop and Young at first base. Mooradian started 39 games last season and batted .252 with nine RBI, 19 runs and 36 hits. The sophomore also led the team with 20 stolen bases as a freshman and will look to build upon a strong rookie season in which he was named ECC Rookie of the Week and ECAC Rookie of the Week a combined three times.
Young made 26 starts in the field last season and recorded 19 hits, 12 runs and six RBI in 81 at bats. The senior will look to improve on those numbers as a captain and starter at first base. Manning the hot corner at third base will be senior Ralph Pasols who made 20 starts last year and finished with nine runs and three RBI in 56 at bats. Junior Miguel Ortiz Sanchez, a transfer from Monroe College, will look to start at second base in his first season as a Maverick.
Freshmen Paul Cozzolino and Zak Kain should see quality time in the infield and junior Ricardo Arias will be a role depth player for the infield.
Schoen will look to senior transfer Shaine Carpenter and junior transfer Nicolas Hagerty to man the plate with transfers Gerardo Reyes and Nicholas Pellegrino and junior Anthony Mammano back from injury to serve as backups. Carpenter joins the program from Saint Anselm College and finished with 21 hits and 15 RBI as a junior with the Hawks. Hagerty comes from Westchester Community College, while Reyes joins the program from Brookdale Community College and Pellegrino from Concordia College.
Outfield
The outfield will be led by last year's ECC and ECAC Rookie of the Year and Second Team All-ECC selection junior Anthony Murphy. Murphy made 38 starts last season and batted a team-best .357 with a team-high four home runs and 23 RBI. The junior had a team-high 46 hits, eight doubles, a .558 slugging percentage and .439 on base percentage in his first year as a Maverick. The junior will look to build upon his success from last year as a starter in the outfield.
Also starting in the outfield will be junior captain Joseph Sadallah who was a Second Team All-ECC performer last season. The junior started 40 games last season and was second on the team with a .293 average and 41 hits. Sadallah led the team with 25 runs and six triples, while ending the year with 15 RBI, a .436 slugging percentage and a .378 on base percentage.
Transfers Alonso Tenya, Adonis Garcia and Josue Perez are going to be looking to fill starting roles in the outfield for Schoen. Sophomore Scott Kelnhofer and freshman Kuzari Jocelyn will provide depth in the outfield.
Pitchers
The revamped pitching staff will be led by senior captain Tyler Cinelli. The senior has appeared in 22 games as a Maverick and will look to lead a staff with several newcomers. With 15 new arms it is still early to determine weekend starters but Mercy will look to Division I transfer Kevin Tise to lead the starters who should include transfers Diego Quinones, Fernando Figueroa, Andrew Hernandez and freshman Jack Kelly will see significant innings as a starter.
The bullpen will be the home for sophomore Matteo Finocchi who had a strong freshman season for the Mavericks. Finocchi posted a 4.45 ERA with a 2-1 record and one save in 30 1/3 innings pitched as a freshman and will look to help solidify the bullpen. Also, seeing time in the bullpen will be Odalis Perez, Oscar Marcial, Tenya, Adam Jaramillo, Demetri Mesimeris, Carmine Szynal, Noah Krzyzak and Manuel Sanchez.
Schoen will look to transfer Juan Perez and freshman Anthony Amato to help close out games in the backend of the bullpen.
