WILSON, N.C. (Feb. 16, 2018) – Powered by a career-high two home runs and six RBI from junior Anthony Murphy (Peekskill, N.Y./Peekskill), the Mercy College baseball team opened their 2018 season with a 16-5 win over Barton College on Friday night at Hunt High School.
The Mavericks (1-0) win their season opener for the third straight year, while the Bulldogs (4-6) have dropped three of four.
Murphy went 2-for-5 with three runs scored, while junior Adonis Garcia (Bronx, N.Y./Monroe College) finished 3-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored in his Mercy debut. Senior Shaine Carpenter (Florham Park, N.J./Saint Anselm College) went 3-for-6 with a home run and an RBI and sophomore John Mooradian (Marlboro, N.Y./Marlboro) batted 3-for-4 with three runs, one RBI and four stolen bases. Junior Kevin Tise (New York, N.Y./University of Hartford) made his first start on the mound as a Maverick and went the first five innings with two earned runs allowed and six strikeouts to earn a no-decision. Sophomore Matteo Finocchi (Staatsburg, N.Y./FDR) pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings to earn the win. Junior Oscar Marcial (New York, N.Y./A. Philip Randolph) closed out the game with two scoreless innings.
Barton was led by Chase Riker who had a home run and four RBI. Dylan Ward made the start on the mound and went six innings with three earned runs allowed and nine strikeouts. Ryan Pifer allowed three earned runs without recording an out to take the loss.
The Mavericks wasted little time in getting on the board as Mooradian led off the game with a single and stole second. A throwing error that allowed Miguel Ortiz Sanchez (Bronx, N.Y./Monroe College) to reach base would also allow Mooradian to score to give Mercy a 1-0 lead. After a double play, Murphy homered for the first time to center field to give Mercy a 2-0 lead after one inning of play.
Barton would tie the game up at 2-2 following a two-run home run from Riker. After a scoreless second inning, Mercy retook the lead with two runs coming on a Mooradian steal of home and a Murphy RBI groundout, giving the Mavericks a 4-2 lead.
It remained 4-2 until the top of the sixth when Carpenter and Garcia singled with Carpenter later scoring on a wild pitch to put Mercy ahead 5-2. The Bulldogs answered in the bottom half of the inning with three runs to knot the score up at 5-5 after six innings.
The Mavericks broke the game open in the top of the seventh with eight runs on three hits. The biggest blow of the inning came off the bat of Murphy who hit a grand slam. Carpenter then followed with another home run and Mooradian also added an RBI single in the inning.
Mercy added on three more runs in the top of the eighth with Garcia hitting a two-run triple down the right field line and Josue Perez (Bronx, N.Y./Monroe College) doubling home a run. Marcial retired the Bulldogs in order in the bottom of the ninth to give the Mavericks the win.
Head Coach Chris Schoen and the Mavericks resume action tomorrow when they play at Barton at 12 p.m.
