BROOKVILLE, N.Y. (Apr. 6, 2019) – Despite a home run from junior Luis Grullart (New York, N.Y./Delaware State University) in game two, the Mercy College baseball team dropped 10-4 and 7-2 decisions to ECC foe LIU Post on Saturday afternoon.
The Mavericks (11-19, 3-7 ECC) have dropped five games in a row, while the Pioneers (19-9, 10-0 ECC) remain perfect in ECC play.
Game 1: LIU Post 10, Mercy 4
The Pioneers broke through with the game's first runs in the bottom of the first, taking a 2-0 lead. Mercy responded by tying the game up at 2-2 following two runs in the top of the second. Senior Adonis Garcia (Bronx, N.Y./Monroe College) singled to lead off the inning and later came around to score on a Grullart RBI groundout. Freshman Ryan Saltzman (Old Bethpage, N.Y./Plainview Old Bethpage JFK) brought in the second run of the inning on an RBI single to the shortstop.
LIU Post came back in the bottom of the second with a run to take a 3-2 lead. The Pioneers added on a run in the fourth, four runs in the seventh and two runs in the eighth to build a 10-2 advantage.
The Mavericks scored two runs in the ninth inning to make it 10-4. Grullart singled to lead off the inning and later scored on a John Mooradian (Marlboro, N.Y./Marlboro) double to left field. Mooradian scored in the next at bat on an Anthony Murphy (Peekskill, N.Y./Peekskill) RBI single to left field. However, Mercy could not score any more runs giving the Pioneers the game one win.
Grullart went 2-for-4 with an RBI and Saltzman went 1-for-4 with an RBI. Murphy and Mooradian both went 1-for-5 with an RBI and senior Miguel Ortiz Sanchez (Bronx, N.Y./Monroe College) went 3-for-5. Junior James Jakuba (Wappingers Falls, N.Y./Central Connecticut State University) allowed eight runs in 6.1 innings to take the loss.
LIU Post was led by Anthony Vaglica who went 2-for-4 with three RBI. James Varela pitched 8.2 innings with two earned runs allowed to pick up the win.
Game 2: LIU Post 7, Mercy 2
LIU Post took a 2-0 lead after scoring two runs in the bottom of the first on three hits and a Mercy error. The Pioneers added on another run in the third inning to build a 3-0 lead after three innings.
The Mavericks got two runs back in the top of the fourth to make it 3-2. Ortiz Sanchez doubled before Grullart hit a two-run home run to right field to get the Mavericks back into the game.
The hosts answered with three runs in the fifth and a run in the sixth to increase the lead to 7-2. Mercy could only record three hits in the game and would not score again to give LIU Post the game two win.
Grullart went 1-for-2 with two RBI and Ortiz Sanchez and Mooradian both went 1-for-3. Sophomore Jack Kelly (Scranton, Pa./Scranton) pitched 4.2 innings with five earned runs allowed to take the loss.
LIU Post was led by Zach Fritz who went 2-for-3 with three RBI and a home run. Noah Lorenzo tossed a complete game to earn the win.
Head Coach Chris Schoen and the Mavericks resume action tomorrow when they host LIU Post for a doubleheader at 11 a.m.
