WEST HAVEN, Conn. (Mar. 11, 2022) – Despite a three-run home run from junior Nolan Giblin (Syracuse, N.Y./Jamesville Dewitt) in game one, the Mercy College baseball team dropped 5-4 and 2-1 decisions to University of New Haven on Friday afternoon at Vieria Field.
The Mavericks (3-12) have dropped six games in a row, while the Chargers (7-3) have won three games in a row.
Game 1: New Haven 5, Mercy 4
The game remained scoreless until the top of the third when Mercy scored four runs to take a 4-0 lead. Senior Ivan Martinez Jr. (Bronx, N.Y./Towson University) led off the inning with a double and scored on a senior James Dieguez (Westbury, N.Y./Kellenberg Memorial) RBI single to left center, making it 1-0. Freshman Jaden Caballero (Newburgh, N.Y./Newburgh Free Academy) later reached on an error to put runners on first and third. Giblin then followed with a three-run home run to left field to give the Mavericks a 4-0 lead.
It remained 4-0 until the bottom of the fourth when Andrew Cain hit a two-run home run to cut Mercy's lead to 4-2. The Chargers added a run in the fifth and sixth innings to tie the game at 4-4. The score stayed tied at 4-4 after seven innings, sending the game in extra innings.
Caballero led off the eighth inning with a single and stole second. After a flyout made one out in the inning, Caballero was thrown out at third for the second out of the inning. A flyout to left field then ended the inning.
Robert Taylor doubled in the bottom of the eighth and stole third. Cole Maucere then singled to right field, scoring Taylor for the game-winning run.
Giblin went 1-for-3 with three RBI and his first home run of the season. Dieguez went 1-for-3 with an RBI and Martinez Jr. went 2-for-3. Caballero went 1-for-4 and senior Jonathan Diforio (Harrison, N.Y./University of Delaware) pitched 4.2 innings with three runs allowed to earn a no-decision. Freshman Nathan Rodriguez (Hamilton, N.J./Hamilton West) faced one batter to take the loss. New Haven was led by Cain who went 3-for-3 with two RBI. Thomas Eletto pitched a complete game with three earned runs allowed to earn the win.
Mercy had five hits and no errors and New Haven had 11 hits and one error.
Game 2: New Haven 2, Mercy 1
New Haven scored two runs in the bottom of the first to take a 2-0 lead. Maucere drove in the first run on a bases-loaded walk and Andrew Bianco scored the second run on a wild pitch.
Mercy starter junior Anthony Burgio (White Plains, N.Y./White Plains) allowed just four hits after the first inning and held the Chargers scoreless for the final five innings The Mavericks scored their lone run in the top of the fifth to make it 2-1. Senior Ryan Saltzman (Old Bethpage, N.Y./Plainview Old Bethpage JFK) singled with two outs and stole second. Caballero then singled to put runners on first and third. Caballero stole second and Saltzman scored on a throwing error by the New Haven catcher to get Mercy on the scoreboard. A strikeout ended the threat and inning.
The Mavericks were unable to score again in the sixth or seventh innings, leading to a 2-1 New Haven victory.
Freshman Connor Ruland (Islip, N.Y./Islip) went 2-for-2 and Rodriguez went 1-for-2. Caballero, Saltzman, sophomore Jared Hernandez (Moca, P.R./Friends University) and freshman Alfred Hoti (New York, N.Y./Monsignor McClancy) all went 1-for-3. Burgio pitched a complete game with two runs allowed and five strikeouts to take the loss.
New Haven was led by Maucere who went 1-for-2 with an RBI. Bryan Pazulski pitched five innings with no earned runs allowed to earn the win. Drew Silverman pitched two scoreless innings to earn the save.
Mercy had seven hits and one error and New Haven had five hits and one error.
