DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Apr. 19, 2019) – Powered by a team-high two RBI on the day from senior Miguel Ortiz Sanchez (Bronx, N.Y./Monroe College), the Mercy College baseball team dropped a 4-1 decision to ECC foe St. Thomas Aquinas College before earning a 5-2 victory in the nightcap on Friday afternoon at Mercy Field.

The Mavericks (16-23-1, 8-11 ECC) hold a 2-1 lead in the series against the Spartans (16-21, 8-11 ECC) heading into Monday's finale.

Game 1: St. Thomas Aquinas 4, Mercy 1

After a scoreless first inning, the Spartans scored three runs in the bottom of the second to take a 3-0 lead.

It remained 3-0 until the top of the fifth when Mercy scored to make it 3-1. Freshman Ryan Saltzman (Old Bethpage, N.Y./Plainview Old Bethpage JFK) singled and junior John Mooradian (Marlboro, N.Y./Marlboro) reached on an error to put runners on first and second. Senior Anthony Murphy (Peekskill, N.Y./Peekskill) then singled to load the bases before Ortiz Sanchez recorded an infield single to score Saltzman, making it 3-1.

The Spartans added a run in the bottom of the fifth on a Michael Morgan sacrifice fly to make it 4-1 and they held the Mavericks scoreless for the final four innings to earn the victory.

Ortiz Sanchez went 2-for-3 with an RBI and Mooradian and Murphy went 1-for-4. Junior James Jakuba (Wappingers Falls, N.Y./Central Connecticut State University) went 4.2 innings with three earned runs allowed to take the loss. Senior Alonso Tenya (Lima, Peru/Westchester CC) pitched 3.1 scoreless innings of relief.

St. Thomas Aquinas was led by James Versage who went 1-for-3 with an RBI. Thomas Gregory went 6.0 innings to earn the win.

Game 2: Mercy 5, St. Thomas Aquinas 2

Following two scoreless innings, Mercy scored a run in the top of the third to take a 1-0 lead. Sophomore Nicholas Pellegrino (Garden City Park, N.Y./Concordia College) led off the inning with a single and moved to second following a sacrifice bunt. Senior Joseph Sadallah (Staten Island, N.Y./Tottenville) then singled to put runners on first and third and he later stole second to put runners on second and third. After a groundout, Murphy was intentionally walked before Ortiz Sanchez singled to right field to score Pellegrino, putting the Mavericks up 1-0.

St. Thomas Aquinas answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning to take a 2-1 lead. The Mavericks tied the game up at 2-2 in the top of the fourth. Junior Luis Grullart (New York, N.Y./Delaware State University) singled and advanced to second on a wild pitch. After a bunt moved Grullart over to third, Pellegrino brought Grullart home with a groundout to second to tie the game up.

Mercy retook the lead in the top of the fifth inning when Sadallah doubled to lead off the inning and was brought home on a Mooradian double down the right field line which made it 3-2. The Mavericks scored two more runs in the seventh inning to build a 5-2 lead as Saltzman scored on a groundout and Mooradian scored on a wild pitch.

The duo of juniors Matteo Finocchi (Staatsburg, N.Y./FDR) and Andrew Hernandez (Brooklyn, N.Y./St. John's University) pitched a combined 4.2 scoreless innings to seal the win for Mercy.

Mooradian went 3-for-4 with an RBI and Sadallah went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Ortiz Sanchez went 1-for-3 with an RBI and Pellegrino went 1-for-3 with an RBI. Freshman Austin DeRosa (Seymour, Conn./Seymour) made the start on the mound and went 2.1 innings to take a no-decision. Finocchi pitched 2.1 innings to pick up the win and Hernandez pitched 2.1 scoreless innings to pick up his eighth save.

St. Thomas Aquinas was led by Brian Donnelly who went 2-for-2 with a run. Alex Mack pitched 2.0 innings to take the loss.

Head Coach Chris Schoen and the Mavericks resume action on Monday, April 22nd when they host St. Thomas Aquinas at 3 p.m.