BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (Mar. 12, 2023) – Powered by five shutout innings tossed by junior Ryan Rozinski (Middletown, N.J./Middletown North) in game one, the Mercy College baseball team earned a 2-0 win over University of Bridgeport before falling 3-2 in game two on Sunday afternoon at Seaside Park.
The Mavericks (4-12) win two out of the three matchups against the Purple Knights (3-11).
Game 1: Mercy 2, Bridgeport 0
The game remained scoreless until the top of the fourth when Mercy scored two runs to take a 2-0 lead. Graduate student Steven Schoen (Hopewell Junction, N.Y./Sacred Heart University) led off the inning with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore Joseph Gonzalez (Monroe, N.Y./Rockland CC). Schoen later advanced to third following a fielder's choice before scoring on a freshman Zach Ashline (Colonie, N.Y./Colonie Central) RBI single to give Mercy a 1-0 lead. Sophomore Alfred Hoti (New York, N.Y./Monsignor McClancy) then reached on a fielder's choice, allowing Gonzalez to score the second run of the inning.
Rozinski pitched a scoreless fourth and fifth inning to keep the Mavericks ahead 2-0 and junior Nelson Perez Jr. (Miami, Fla./Sussex County CC) came in and pitched two shutout innings to earn the save.
Ashline went 2-for-2 with an RBI and senior Janiel Ramirez (Windsor, Conn./The College of Saint Rose) went 1-for-2. Schoen went 1-for-3 with a run and senior Nolan Giblin (Syracuse, N.Y./Jamesville-Dewitt) went 1-for-3. Rozinski allowed just four hits in five innings with two strikeouts to earn his first win of the season. Perez Jr. allowed just one hit in two innings to pick up his first save as a Maverick.
Bridgeport was led by Jeremy Rodrigues who went 3-for-3. Jason Giambra pitched five innings with two runs allowed to take the loss.
Mercy had five hits and no errors and Bridgeport had five hits and no errors.
Game 2: Bridgeport 3, Mercy 2
Mercy jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. Sophomore Jaden Caballero (Newburgh, N.Y./Newburgh Free Academy) led off the game with a single and Ramirez followed with a single to put runners on second and third after a Bridgeport error. Schoen then hit a sacrifice fly to the shortstop, scoring Caballero to give Mercy a 1-0 lead. Ramirez later scored on a wild pitch to give the Mavericks a 2-0 lead.
Bridgeport answered with three runs in the bottom of the first to take a 3-2 lead. Justin Leigh recorded an RBI double and Vin Mallon doubled home the second run of the inning. Rodrigues later scored on a wild pitch to give the Purple Knights a 3-2 lead.
Neither team would score again and Bridgeport came away with the 3-2 game two win.
Schoen went 1-for-2 with an RBI and junior Jared Hernandez (Moca, P.R./Friends University) went 2-for-2. Sophomore Connor Ruland (Islip, N.Y./Islip) went 1-for-2 and Gonzalez went 1-for-4. Caballero went 1-for-4 with a run and Ramirez went 1-for-4 with a run. Sophomore Nathan Rodriguez (Hamilton, N.J./Hamilton West) pitched five innings without allowing an earned run to take the loss. Sophomore Scott Scheppy (Newburgh, N.Y./Newburgh Free Academy) pitched a scoreless sixth inning.
Bridgeport was led by Leigh and Mallon who both went 2-for-3 with an RBI. Justin Hafele pitched six innings with one earned run allowed to earn the win. Tyler Solomon pitched a scoreless seventh inning to earn the save.
Mercy had seven hits and one error and Bridgeport had seven hits and one error.
Head Coach Chris Schoen and the Mavericks resume action on Wednesday, March 15th when they host Bloomfield at 3 p.m.
