UNIONDALE, N.Y. (May 13, 2022) – Despite an RBI from freshman Jaden Caballero (Newburgh, N.Y./Newburgh Free Academy), the No. 3 seeded Mercy College baseball team dropped a 6-1 decision to No. 1 seeded Molloy College in an elimination game at the East Coast Conference (ECC) Baseball Championship on Friday morning at Mitchel Field.
The Mavericks (21-25-1) end their season playing in the ECC Championship for the first time since 2010. The Lions (33-12) will face the loser of Queens/STAC at 4 p.m.
Caballero went 1-for-4 with an RBI and senior Nikko Liguori (Branford, Conn./Franklin Pierce University) and junior Nolan Giblin (Syracuse, N.Y./Jamesville Dewitt) both went 2-for-4. Freshman Frankie Asaro (East Williston, N.Y./Wheatley) went 1-for-1 with a run and junior Ryan Gonzalez (Howell, N.J./Neumann University) went 1-for-2. Freshman Alfred Hoti (New York, N.Y./Monsignor McClancy) went 1-for-3 and senior Jonathan Diforio (Harrison, N.Y./University of Delaware) pitched one inning with four runs allowed to take the loss. Junior Kevin Seckler (Beacon, N.Y./Our Lady of Lourdes) pitched seven innings with just two runs allowed and three strikeouts and graduate student Kuzari Jocelyn (Brooklyn, N.Y./Abraham Lincoln) pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
Molloy was led by Thomas Brady who went 3-for-5 with two RBI. Mike Andreoli allowed one run in nine innings to earn the win.
The Lions scored four runs in the top of the first to take a 4-0 lead. Brady brought home the first run on an RBI single and Matt Overton brought in two more on a double to make it 3-0. Patrick Hoffman singled home the final run of the inning to give Molloy a 4-0 lead.
Brady recorded another RBI single in the fourth inning to make it 5-0 and Peter Theodorellis recorded an RBI double in the eighth to give the Lions a 6-0 lead.
Mercy scored their lone run of the game in the bottom of the eighth to make it 6-1. Asaro led off the inning with a double and Liguori singled to put runners on first and third. Caballero then singled to center field, scoring Asaro to make it 6-1. A popup and double play would end the inning with the score 6-1.
The Mavericks went down in order in the bottom of the ninth to give Molloy the 6-1 victory.
Mercy had eight hits and no errors and Molloy had 13 hits and one error.
