DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Apr. 12, 2019) – Powered by a game-high three RBI from senior Anthony Murphy (Peekskill, N.Y./Peekskill), the Mercy College baseball team earned a 6-3 victory over ECC foe RV NYIT on Friday afternoon at Mercy Field.
The Mavericks (13-20, 5-8 ECC) have won two of their last three games, while the Bears (20-7, 10-3 ECC) have dropped two games in a row.
Murphy went 2-for-3 with three RBI and junior Luis Grullart (New York, N.Y./Delaware State University) went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Junior John Mooradian (Marlboro, N.Y./Marlboro) batted 2-for-3 with two runs and senior Joseph Sadallah (Staten Island, N.Y./Tottenville) went 1-for-3 with a run scored. Sophomore Jack Kelly (Scranton, Pa./Scranton) pitched 6.2 innings with three earned runs allowed to pick up his third win of the year. Junior Matteo Finocchi (Staatsburg, N.Y./FDR) pitched 1.1 scoreless innings and junior Andrew Hernandez (Brooklyn, N.Y./St. John's University) pitched a scoreless ninth inning to earn his sixth save of the year.
NYIT was led by Ryan Kuskowski who went 1-for-4 with an RBI. Chris Mott pitched 5.1 innings with four earned runs allowed to take the loss.
The Bears jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first on two hits. Mercy had a response and tied the game up in the bottom of the first with three runs on three hits. Mooradian started the rally with a triple and scored on a Murphy RBI single to right field. After a strikeout to make two outs in the inning, senior Adonis Garcia (Bronx, N.Y./Monroe College) walked to put runners on first and second. Grullart then singled to center field to plate Murphy making it 3-2. Freshman James Dieguez (Westbury, N.Y./Kellenberg Memorial) reached base on a hit by pitch to load the bases for senior Nicolas Hagerty (New York, N.Y./Westchester CC). Hagerty drew a bases-loaded walk to bring home Garcia for the third run of the inning.
The Mavericks added on another run in the bottom of the second to take a 4-3 lead. Mooradian singled up the middle and scored on a Murphy RBI double to center field.
It remained 4-3 until the bottom of the fourth when the Mavericks scored a run to build a 5-3 lead. Sadallah walked, stole second and later scored on a fielding error by the pitcher to give Mercy an insurance run.
After surrendering three runs in the first inning, Kelly did not allow a run in the final 5.2 innings he pitched. Mercy increased the lead to 6-3 in the sixth inning when Murphy hit a sacrifice fly to right field, which scored freshman Ryan Saltzman (Old Bethpage, N.Y./Plainview Old Bethpage JFK) who reached on an error to lead off the inning.
The combination of Finocchi and Hernandez shutdown the Bears for the final 2.1 innings to give Mercy the series-opening win.
Head Coach Chris Schoen and the Mavericks resume action tomorrow when they play at NYIT at 12 p.m.
