DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (May 1, 2021) – Powered by a grand slam and team-high five RBI from graduate student Anthony Murphy (Peekskill, N.Y./Peekskill), the Mercy College baseball team earned a 12-10 victory over ECC foe Lincoln University on Saturday afternoon to secure their first ECC Tournament berth since 2010.
The Mavericks (17-8, 13-4 ECC) sweep the season series with the Lions (4-16, 4-10 ECC) who have lost 10 straight games.
Murphy went 3-for-4 with his fifth home run and had five RBI. Sophomore Justin Glennerster (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Joseph by the Sea) went 1-for-4 with a home run and an RBI and graduate student Miguel Ortiz Sanchez (Bronx, N.Y./Monroe College) went 2-for-3 with two RBI. Junior Ryan Saltzman (Old Bethpage, N.Y./Plainview Old Bethpage JFK) went 2-for-5 with two RBI and sophomore Nolan Giblin (Syracuse, N.Y./Jamesville Dewitt) went 2-for-3 with four runs. Junior Charles Lebron (Brooklyn, N.Y./Franklin Pierce University) went 2-for-5 and senior Cain Ruiz (Valley Stream, N.Y./Cornerstone University) went 2-for-4. Freshman Ryan Rozinski (Middletown, N.J./Middletown North) pitched 4.1 innings with four runs allowed to earn a no-decision. Junior Jonathan Diforio (Harrison, N.Y./University of Delaware) pitched two innings of relief to earn his second win of the year. Senior Kuzari Jocelyn (Brooklyn, N.Y./Abraham Lincoln) pitched a scoreless ninth to earn the save.
Lincoln was led by Max Guadalupe who went 3-for-3 with five RBI. Josiah Lara pitched 2.1 innings to take the loss.
The Lions took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first following a Guadalupe double. Mercy answered with three runs in the bottom of the inning to take a 3-1 lead. Giblin walked, stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch before Ortiz Sanchez singled him home to make it 1-1. Two runs later scored on a dropped fly ball by the left fielder to give Mercy a 3-1 lead.
Mercy added two more runs in the third inning to take a 5-1 lead. Saltzman delivered a two-run single through the left side, which brought home Glennerster and Lebron to give Mercy some insurance runs.
Lincoln plated a run in the top of the fourth to make it 5-2. Mercy got the run back in the bottom of the inning to make it 6-2. Giblin and Ortiz Sanchez singled before Murphy reached on a fielder's choice, allowing Giblin to score.
Guadalupe had a two-run single in the fifth inning to get Lincoln to within 6-4.
Mercy made it 7-4 in the bottom of the sixth when Ortiz Sanchez hit a sacrifice fly to center field that scored Giblin, who led off the inning with a single. Lincoln continued to battle and scored three runs in the seventh to tie the game at 7-7.
The Mavericks answered with four runs in the bottom of the inning to take an 11-7 lead. Following two outs, senior Paul Cozzolino (Ossining, N.Y./Ossining) singled and Giblin and Ortiz Sanchez walked to load the bases. Murphy then smacked a 1-0 pitch over the right center field fence to clear the bases and give the Mavericks an 11-7 lead.
Lincoln inched closer with three runs in the eighth to make it 11-10. However, Mercy got an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth when Glennerster homered to left field, giving the Mavericks a 12-10 lead.
Jocelyn pitched a scoreless ninth inning to give Mercy the win.
Head Coach Chris Schoen and the Mavericks resume action tomorrow when they host No. 19 STAC at 3 p.m. Senior Day will take place at 12 p.m.
