FLUSHING, N.Y. (Apr. 17, 2021) – Powered by a game-high four RBI in game two from senior Cain Ruiz (Valley Stream, N.Y./Cornerstone University), the Mercy College baseball team earned 7-4 and 8-2 victories over ECC foe Queens College on Saturday afternoon at Hennekens Stadium.

The Mavericks (10-7, 7-3 ECC) start 7-3 in ECC play for the first time in program history and are off to their best 17-game start since 1985. Mercy also sweeps their first doubleheader at Queens (7-8, 5-7 ECC) since 1989.

Game 1: Mercy 7, Queens 4

The score remained 0-0 until the top of the fourth when Mercy scored four runs to take a 4-0 lead. Graduate student Anthony Murphy (Peekskill, N.Y./Peekskill) started the rally with a solo home run to center field, which would turn out to be his 100th career run scored, making it 1-0. Senior Francisco Paulino (Haina San Cristobal, Dominican Republic/Monroe College) then singled and junior Charles Lebron (Brooklyn, N.Y./Franklin Pierce University) doubled to put runners at second and third. Senior Paul Cozzolino (Ossining, N.Y./Ossining) then hit a three-run home run to left field that gave Mercy a 4-0 lead.

Queens answered in the bottom of the fourth with three runs and tied the game up with a run in the bottom of the sixth, making it 4-4.

The score remained 4-4 heading into the top of the ninth. Mercy would go on to score three runs to take a 7-4 lead. After the first two batters got out in the inning, graduate student Miguel Ortiz Sanchez (Bronx, N.Y./Monroe College) smacked a home run to left field, giving the Mavericks a 5-4 lead. Murphy then walked and Paulino singled to put runners on first and second. Lebron then recorded an RBI single to right field that scored Murphy to make it 6-4. Senior Kuzari Jocelyn (Brooklyn, N.Y./Abraham Lincoln) brought in the final run of the inning after being hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to make it 7-4.

The combination of Jonathan Diforio (Harrison, N.Y./University of Delaware), Gaetano Pennisi (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Joseph by the Sea) and Kevin Seckler (Beacon, N.Y./Our Lady of Lourdes) four scoreless innings to give the Mavericks the game one win.

Murphy went 1-for-3 with a home run and an RBI and becomes the sixth Maverick in program history to record 100 career runs. Cozzolino went 1-for-3 with a home run and three RBI and Lebron went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Paulino went 3-for-5 with two runs and Ortiz Sanchez went 2-for-5 with a home run and an RBI. Freshman Ryan Rozinski (Middletown, N.J./Middletown North) made the start and pitched five innings with three runs allowed to take a no-decision. Diforio pitched three scoreless innings to earn the win and Seckler pitched a scoreless ninth to earn the save.

Queens was led by Teovaldo Estevez who went 1-for-4 with an RBI. Danny Gargano pitched two innings of relief to take the loss.

Game 2: Mercy 8, Queens 2

Mercy continued to swing the bats well, scoring a run in the top of the first to take a 1-0 lead. Murphy doubled and advanced to third following a passed ball. Lebron then singled down the right field line to bring home Murphy for the first run of the game.

Queens answered with a run in the bottom of the first and second to take a 2-1 lead. Mercy tied the game back up at 2-2 in the top of the third. Ruiz led off the inning with a double and later scored on a Murphy sacrifice fly.

The score stayed at 2-2 heading to the top of the sixth before Mercy scored three runs to take a 5-2 lead. Sophomore Justin Glennerster (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Joseph by the Sea) singled and Jocelyn reached on an error to put runners on first and second. Junior Nikko Liguori (Branford, Conn./Franklin Pierce University) stepped up and singled home Glennerster to give Mercy a 3-2 lead. Ruiz then delivered a two-run double to right center that scored Liguori and Jocelyn to make it 5-2.

The Mavericks tacked on three more runs in the top of the seventh to take a commanding 8-2 lead. Glennerster got the rally started with a double with two outs and following back-to-back walks for Jocelyn and Liguori the bases were loaded. After a pitching change, Ruiz recorded another big hit, a two-run single to left center, which made it 7-2. Liguori later scored on a wild pitch to conclude the scoring.

Freshman Max Rank (Westwood, N.J./Westwood JR/SR) pitched a scoreless seventh inning to give the Mavericks the doubleheader sweep on the road.

Ruiz went 3-for-4 with a season-high four RBI and Glennerster went 3-for-4 with two runs. Lebron, Murphy and Liguori all went 1-for-3 with an RBI and Ortiz Sanchez went 1-for-4. Jocelyn went 1-for-3 and junior Austin DeRosa (Seymour, Conn./Seymour) went five innings with two runs allowed and three strikeouts to pick up his second win of the year. Rank pitched two scoreless innings of relief.

Queens was led by Reed Hoskins who went 1-for-3 with an RBI. Dimitri Papazoglou pitched 2.2 innings with three earned runs allowed to take the loss.

Head Coach Chris Schoen and the Mavericks resume action on Friday, April 23rd when they host Staten Island for a doubleheader at 12 p.m.