DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (May 7, 2021) – Powered by six hitless innings from junior Jonathan Diforio (Harrison, N.Y./University of Delaware) and a go-ahead two-run double from senior Cain Ruiz (Valley Stream, N.Y./Cornerstone University) in game one, the Mercy College baseball team earned a 7-6 come-from-behind victory over ECC foe Molloy College before falling 1-0 in game two on Friday afternoon at Mercy Field.
The Mavericks (18-10, 14-6 ECC) have now secured the most ECC wins in program history with 14, while the Lions (18-9, 14-4 ECC) remain in second place in the ECC standings.
Game 1: Mercy 7, Molloy 6
Molloy jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning on three hits and a Mercy error. The Mavericks answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning to make it 4-2. Graduate student Miguel Ortiz Sanchez (Bronx, N.Y./Monroe College) singled and graduate student Anthony Murphy (Peekskill, N.Y./Peekskill) walked before junior Charles Lebron (Brooklyn, N.Y./Franklin Pierce University) singled home Ortiz Sanchez to make it 4-1. Murphy later scored on a passed ball to make it 4-2.
The Mavericks tied the game at 4-4 in the bottom of the second. Junior Ryan Saltzman (Old Bethpage, N.Y./Plainview Old Bethpage JFK) was hit by a pitch and sophomore Nolan Giblin (Syracuse, N.Y./Jamesville Dewitt) brought him in with a triple to right field to make it 4-3. Ortiz Sanchez then singled home Giblin to tie the game at 4-4.
The Lions retook the lead in the top of the third with two runs on three hits to make it 6-4.
The score remained 6-4 until the bottom of the seventh when Mercy scored three runs to take a 7-6 lead. Ortiz Sanchez walked and Lebron singled to put runners on first and third. Senior Francisco Paulino (Haina San Cristobal, D.R./Monroe College) then brought home Ortiz Sanchez on a fielder's choice to make it 6-5. Sophomore Justin Glennerster (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Joseph by the Sea) then singled before Ruiz doubled down the left field line to bring home Glennerster and Paulino for the go-ahead run.
Diforio pitched a scoreless eighth and ninth innings to protect the lead and give Mercy the game one win.
Ruiz went 1-for-4 with two RBI and Giblin went 2-for-5 with an RBI. Ortiz Sanchez went 2-for-4 with an RBI and Lebron went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Glennerster went 2-for-4 and sophomore Anthony Burgio (White Plains, N.Y./White Plains) pitched three innings to earn a no-decision. Diforio pitched the final six innings without allowing a hit to earn his third win of the year.
Molloy was led by Sean Hogan who went 2-for-4 with two RBI. Robert Lucano pitched one inning to take the loss.
Game 2: Molloy 1, Mercy 0
A pitcher's duel broke out in game two with the game remaining scoreless until the top of the fourth when Molloy finally got to Mercy starter Ryan Rozinski (Middletown, N.J./Middletown North). Back-to-back doubles from Matt Overton and Thomas Brady gave the Lions a 1-0 lead.
The Mavericks could only record five hits in the nightcap and were unable to tie the game.
Ortiz Sanchez, Lebron, Glennerster, Ruiz and senior Paul Cozzolino (Ossining, N.Y./Ossining) all went 1-for-3. Rozinski pitched a complete game with one run and four hits allowed to take the loss.
Molloy was led by Overton who went 3-for-3. Charlie Cucchiara pitched a complete game to earn the win.
Head Coach Chris Schoen and the Mavericks conclude the regular season tomorrow at Molloy at 12 p.m.
