DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Mar. 21, 2021) – Powered by two RBI in game two from junior Charles Lebron (Brooklyn, N.Y./Franklin Pierce University) and graduate student Miguel Ortiz Sanchez (Bronx, N.Y./Monroe College) and three hitless innings from sophomore Kevin Seckler (Beacon, N.Y./Our Lady of Lourdes), the Mercy College baseball team dropped a 4-0 decision to Dominican College in game one before earning a 6-4 victory in game two on Sunday afternoon in Making Strides for Cancer Pink Games.
The Mavericks (3-2) snap a two-game losing streak with the game two win, while the Chargers (4-2) have their four-game winning streak snapped.
Game 1: Dominican 4, Mercy 0
A pitcher's duel broke out early on between Mercy sophomore starter Anthony Burgio (White Plains, N.Y./White Plains) and Dominican's starter Justin Diaz. The score remained 0-0 until the top of the fourth when the Chargers scored three runs to take a 3-0 lead. Christian Fils-Amie recorded a sacrifice fly and Ryan Ruziecki brought home two runs on a single to left center.
The Chargers added a run in the top of the seventh on a Richard Paulino RBI single to make it 4-0.
Graduate student Anthony Murphy (Peekskill, N.Y./Peekskill) and junior James Dieguez (Westbury, N.Y./Kellenberg Memorial) recorded doubles in the sixth and seventh innings but were left stranded. Diaz limited Mercy to just four hits to earn the win.
Murphy went 2-for-2 and Dieguez went 2-for-3. Burgio pitched four innings with three runs allowed and three strikeouts to take the loss. Freshman Luis Ruiz (Weehawken, N.J./High Tech) pitched the final three innings with one run allowed.
Dominican was led by Ruziecki who went 1-for-4 with two RBI. Diaz went the distance with two strikeouts to earn the win.
Game 2: Mercy 6, Dominican 4
Dominican opened the scoring in game two on a Joshua Colon ground-rule double that scored Ruziecki to make it 1-0. Mercy quickly responded with two runs in the bottom of the first to take a 2-1 lead. Senior Cain Ruiz (Valley Stream, N.Y./Cornerstone University) led off the inning with a walk and sophomore Nolan Giblin (Syracuse, N.Y./Jamesville Dewitt) followed with a single to put runners at first and second. After a strikeout, Giblin and Ruiz advanced to second and third following a passed ball. Lebron then brought home Ruiz on a sacrifice fly to tie the game up at 1-1. Ortiz Sanchez then singled home Giblin to give the Mavericks a 2-1 lead. A groundout to third ended the inning.
The Chargers plated two more runs in the top of the second on three hits to retake the lead at 3-2. It remained 3-2 until the bottom of the third when the Mavericks plated a run to tie the game at 3-3. Giblin led off the inning with a hit by pitch and Murphy and Lebron followed with walks to load the bases. Ortiz Sanchez then delivered a sacrifice fly to center field that scored Giblin to tie the game. Senior Paul Cozzolino (Ossining, N.Y./Ossining) then singled to load the bases, but a strikeout and fielder's choice ended the threat and inning.
Dominican retook the lead in the top of the fourth on a Derek Langfelder sacrifice fly to make it 4-3. It stayed 4-3 until the bottom of the fifth when the Mavericks scored a run on a hit and a Charger error to tie the game again at 4-4. Lebron started the inning with a single and later scored on a Francisco Paulino (Haina San Cristobal, Dominican Republic/Monroe College) RBI groundout to first. A strikeout ended the inning with runners on second and third.
After Seckler tossed his second straight scoreless inning, the Mavericks offense went to work in the bottom of the sixth. Giblin started the rally with a single and moved to second on a balk. After a popup made two outs in the inning, Lebron delivered the go-ahead RBI single to center field that scored Giblin to make it 5-4. Ortiz Sanchez then walked to put runners on first and second. Cozzolino then stepped up and singled to right field, allowing Lebron to score to give Mercy a 6-4 lead after six innings.
Seckler retired the Chargers in order in the seventh to preserve his first collegiate win.
Lebron went 2-for-2 with two RBI and two runs and Ortiz Sanchez went 1-for-1 with two RBI. Cozzolino went 2-for-3 with an RBI and Giblin went 2-for-3 with three runs. Freshman Ryan Rozinski (Middletown, N.J./Middletown North) made the start on the mound and went four innings with four runs allowed to earn a no-decision. Seckler pitched the final three innings without allowing a hit to pick up his first career win.
Dominican was led by Carmine Giordano who went 2-for-3 with two RBI. Cole Fancher pitched the sixth inning with two runs allowed to take the loss.
Head Coach Chris Schoen and the Mavericks resume action on Wednesday, March 24th when they host Dominican at 3 p.m.
