DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Mar. 24, 2023) – Despite three Mavericks recording an RBI, the Mercy College baseball team dropped a 9-4 decision to Molloy University in their ECC opener on Friday afternoon at Mercy Field.
The Mavericks (4-16, 0-1 ECC) have dropped five games in a row and fall to the Lions (13-8, 1-0 ECC) for the fourth straight time.
Mercy was led by junior Jared Hernandez (Moca, P.R./Friends University) who went 2-for-4 with an RBI and by sophomore Jaden Caballero (Newburgh, N.Y./Newburgh Free Academy) who went 2-for-5 with an RBI. Junior Gabe Sanders (Dunedin, Fla./Central Alabama CC) went 2-for-5 with an RBI and senior Nolan Giblin (Syracuse, N.Y./Jamesville-Dewitt) went 2-for-5. Freshman Sean McAdams (Fairfield, Conn./Fairfield Ludlowe) went 1-for-3 with a run and senior Justin Glennerster (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Joseph by the Sea) and sophomore Joseph Gonzalez (Monroe, N.Y./Rockland CC) both went 1-for-5. Sophomore Scott Scheppy (Newburgh, N.Y./Newburgh Free Academy) pitched 5.1 innings with seven earned runs allowed to take the loss. Freshman Diego Wirz (Stamford, Conn./Stamford) pitched 2.1 scoreless innings of relief.
Molloy was led by Chris Peralta who went 2-for-5 with a home run and three RBI. Charlie Cucchiara pitched seven innings with two earned runs allowed to earn the win.
The game remained scoreless until the top of the third when Molloy scored four runs to take a 4-0 lead. Anthony Manisero drove in the first run on a double and Peralta hit a three-run home run to make it 4-0. The Mavericks answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning to make it 4-2. McAdams started the rally with a double and scored on a Caballero RBI single to make it 4-1. Sanders later made it 4-2 with an RBI single to left field that scored Hernandez.
Molloy added a run in the top of the fourth on a Manisero RBI single to make it 5-2.
The score remained 5-2 until the top of the sixth when the Lions scored three runs to take an 8-2 lead. Manisero drove in the first run on a sacrifice fly and Aidan Larkin drove in two runs on an RBI single. Mercy inched closer in the bottom of the inning with a run to make it 8-3. Hernandez singled home Gonzalez who reached on a fielder's choice earlier in the inning.
The Mavericks scored another run in the bottom of the eighth to make it 8-4. Gonzalez reached on an error and scored following a wild pitch.
The Lions tacked on a run in the top of the ninth to make it 9-4. Giblin and Sanders led off the bottom of the ninth with back-to-back singles, but three straight flyouts ended the game.
Mercy had 11 hits and two errors and Molloy had 11 hits and four errors.
Head Coach Chris Schoen and the Mavericks resume action on Sunday when they host Molloy at 12 p.m.
