DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Mar. 25, 2021) – Despite an RBI from graduate student Miguel Ortiz Sanchez (Bronx, N.Y./Monroe College) and junior Ryan Saltzman (Old Bethpage, N.Y./Plainview Old Bethpage JFK), the Mercy College baseball team dropped a 6-2 decision to Dominican College on Thursday afternoon at Mercy Field.
The Mavericks (3-3) fall to .500 on the year, while the Chargers (5-3) snap a two-game losing streak.
Ortiz Sanchez went 1-for-4 with an RBI and junior Charles Lebron (Brooklyn, N.Y./Franklin Pierce University) went 2-for-4 with a run scored. Sophomore Nolan Giblin (Syracuse, N.Y./Jamesville Dewitt) and junior James Dieguez (Westbury, N.Y./Kellenberg Memorial) both went 1-for-3. Sophomore Ryan Dieguez (Westbury, N.Y./Chaminade) made the start and went 0.1 innings with two runs allowed to take the loss. Sophomore John Gillespie (Massapequa Park, N.Y./Massapequa), senior Kuzari Jocelyn (Brooklyn, N.Y./Abraham Lincoln) and freshmen Gaetano Pennisi (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Joseph by the Sea) and Luis Ruiz (Weehawken, N.J./High Tech) each pitched a scoreless inning of relief.
Dominican was led by Max Chidsey who went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI. Oscarli Cruz pitched the first four innings with two runs allowed to earn a no-decision. John Rodriguez pitched the final five innings with just one hit allowed and seven strikeouts to earn the win.
The Chargers opened the scoring in the top of the first with two runs to take a 2-0 lead. Tyler Patterson recorded an RBI single and Shane Hewlette was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded for the second run.
Dominican added on a run in the top of the second when Ryan Ruziecki produced an RBI single to make it 3-0. Mercy answered with a run in the bottom of the inning to make it 3-1. Senior Francisco Paulino (Haina San Cristobal, Dominican Republic/Monroe College) walked and advanced to third following a Dieguez single. Paulino would later score on a Saltzman sacrifice fly to left field to get the Mavericks on the board.
The Chargers scored two more runs in the top of the third on a Chidsey two-run home run to increase their lead to 5-1. Mercy plated another run in the bottom of the third to bring the score to 5-2. Lebron led off the inning with a double and scored following an Ortiz Sanchez RBI single to center field. A caught stealing, strikeout and groundout ended the inning for the Mavericks.
It remained 5-2 until the top of the fifth when Brian Sanders singled home a run to give the Chargers a 6-2 lead. The Mavericks put runners on second and third in the bottom of the inning, but a fly out to center ended the threat.
Neither team would score in the final four innings, giving Dominican a 6-2 victory.
Friday and Saturday's doubleheaders against St. Thomas Aquinas College have been postponed. Head Coach Chris Schoen and the Mavericks will resume action on Wednesday, March 31st when they host Wilmington at 3 p.m.
