PEMBROKE, N.C. (Feb. 21, 2023) – Powered by a team-high three RBI from freshman John Nisco (Tarrytown, N.Y./Sleepy Hollow), the Mercy College baseball team upset #13/18 UNC Pembroke by a score of 15-11 on Tuesday afternoon at Sammy Cox Field.
The Mavericks (2-3) earn their second win of the season and defeat a ranked opponent for the second straight season. The Braves (9-1) are the highest ranked team Mercy has beaten in seven seasons under Head Coach Chris Schoen. Mercy hands 2022 NCAA Tournament participant UNC Pembroke their first loss of the season and score the most runs allowed by the Braves so far this season.
Nisco went 3-for-4 with a career-high three RBI and two runs and seniors Justin Glennerster (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Joseph by the Sea) and Nolan Giblin (Syracuse, N.Y./Jamesville-Dewitt) both went-2-for-5 with two RBI. Sophomore Jaden Caballero (Newburgh, N.Y./Newburgh Free Academy) went 2-for-4 with two RBI and junior Gabe Sanders (Dunedin, Fla./Central Alabama CC) went 1-for-4 with an RBI and team-high three runs. Sophomore Joseph Gonzalez (Monroe, N.Y./Rockland CC) had two RBI and senior Janiel Ramirez (Windsor, Conn./The College of Saint Rose) and graduate student Steven Schoen (Hopewell Junction, N.Y./Sacred Heart University) both added an RBI. Freshman Sean McAdams (Fairfield, Conn./Fairfield Ludlowe) went 1-for-3 with two runs and juniors Gaetano Pennisi (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Joseph by the Sea), Joshua Alvarado (Yonkers, N.Y./Saunders), Nelson Perez Jr. (Miami, Fla./Sussex County CC) and Gabriel Soto (Tucson, Ariz./Mesabi Range College), seniors John Gillespie (Massapequa Park, N.Y./Massapequa) and Ryan Dieguez (Westbury, N.Y./Chaminade) and freshman Diego Wirz (Stamford, Conn./Stamford) combined to toss seven shutout innings. Dieguez earned his first collegiate win with his scoreless third inning.
UNC Pembroke was led by Ethan Ott who went 2-for-4 with a game-high four RBI. Jonathan Jacobs pitched one inning with two runs allowed to take the loss.
After two scoreless innings, Mercy scored the first two runs of the game in the top of the third to take a 2-0 lead. McAdams started the rally with a single and later scored following a Caballero single to make it 1-0. Glennerster later plated Caballero on a single to give Mercy a 2-0 lead.
The Mavericks exploded for nine runs in the top of the fourth to take an 11-0 lead. Caballero brought home the first run of the inning on a bases loaded walk to make it 3-0. Ramirez drew another bases loaded walk to make it 4-0 and Gonzalez was hit by a pitch to give Mercy a 5-0 lead. Glennerster then singled home Caballero to make it 6-0 and Schoen was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to give Mercy a 7-0 lead. Two more runs scored after Sanders reached on an error to increase the lead to 9-0. Nisco capped off the scoring with a two-run triple to right center, giving the Mavericks a commanding 11-0 lead.
The Braves scored a run in the fourth inning and three runs in the fifth inning to make it 11-4. Sanders singled in the sixth inning and was brought home on a Nisco single to give Mercy a 12-4 lead.
The score remained 12-4 until the top of the ninth when Mercy tacked on three more runs to take a 15-4 lead. Gonzalez reached on a fielder's choice allowing Nisco to score to make it 13-4. Giblin later delivered a two-run single to center field, giving Mercy a 15-4 lead.
The Braves scored seven runs in the bottom of the ninth, but freshman Ryan Ehret (Broad Channel, N.Y./Monsignor McClancy) induced a flyout to center field to give the Mavericks the upset win on the road.
Mercy had 11 hits and no errors and UNC Pembroke had nine hits and four errors.
Head Coach Chris Schoen and the Mavericks resume action on Thursday, February 23rd when they face Franklin Pierce in Myrtle Beach at 5:30 p.m.
