DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Apr. 27, 2018) – Despite a team-high two hits from junior Anthony Murphy (Peekskill, N.Y./Peekskill), the Mercy College baseball team dropped an 8-1 decision to ECC foe No. 22 St. Thomas Aquinas College on Friday afternoon.

The Mavericks (19-23, 8-9 ECC) have dropped two games in a row, while the Spartans (30-9, 15-2 ECC) have won six games in a row.

Murphy went 2-for-4 and junior Miguel Ortiz Sanchez (Bronx, N.Y./Monroe College) and sophomore Scott Kelnhofer (New Hyde Park, N.Y./New Hyde Park) also recorded a hit. Freshman Manuel Sanchez (Ossining, N.Y./Ossining) pitched three innings with two earned runs allowed to take the loss.

St. Thomas Aquinas was led by Tyler Patane who went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI. Chris Cepeda pitched a complete game with one earned run allowed and nine strikeouts to pick up the win.

After a scoreless first inning, the Spartans took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Nicholas Lucchese recorded a bases-loaded walk to drive in the first run of the game. St. Thomas Aquinas increased the lead to 2-0 when Patane singled to right field to bring home the second run of the game.

A two-run fourth inning gave the Spartans a 4-0 advantage after Lucchese recorded an RBI groundout and Joseph Pena scored on a passed ball. St. Thomas Aquinas added two more runs in the fifth and a run in the seventh to make it 7-0.

The Mavericks got on the board in the eighth inning when junior Josue Perez scored on a wild pitch after leading off the inning with a hit by pitch and then advancing to third after a Kelnhofer single and a fielder's choice.

St. Thomas Aquinas scored their final run of the game in the ninth inning and the Mavericks could not get any closer as the Spartans came away with the win.

Head Coach Chris Schoen and the Mavericks resume action tomorrow when they play at St. Thomas Aquinas at Palisades Credit Union Park at 12 p.m.