STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. (Apr. 14, 2023) – Powered by a game-high five hits from sophomore Jaden Caballero (Newburgh, N.Y./Newburgh Free Academy), a game-high two RBI from sophomore Joseph Gonzalez (Monroe, N.Y./Rockland CC) and 7 2/3 strong innings from sophomore Scott Scheppy (Newburgh, N.Y./Newburgh Free Academy), the Mercy College baseball team earned a 9-2 win over ECC foe College of Staten Island on Friday afternoon.
The Mavericks (7-25, 3-10 ECC) have won two games in a row, while the Dolphins (10-18, 2-7 ECC) see their two-game winning streak come to an end.
Caballero went 5-for-5 with two runs and an RBI and Gonzalez went 3-for-5 with two RBI. Graduate student Steven Schoen (Hopewell Junction, N.Y./Sacred Heart University) went 2-for-5 with an RBI and freshmen Sean McAdams (Fairfield, Conn./Fairfield Ludlowe) and Zach Ashline (Colonie, N.Y./Colonie Central) both went 2-for-4. Junior Gabe Sanders (Dunedin, Fla./Central Alabama CC) went 1-for-4 with an RBI and senior Janiel Ramirez (Windsor, Conn./The College of Saint Rose) went 1-for-3 with an RBI. Senior Nolan Giblin (Syracuse, N.Y./Jamesville-Dewitt) went 1-for-5 with an RBI and Scheppy pitched 7.2 innings with two runs allowed and four strikeouts to earn his second win of the season. Senior Ryan Dieguez (Westbury, N.Y./Chaminade) pitched 1.1 scoreless innings of relief.
Staten Island was led by Michael Kehoe who went 2-for-5 with two runs. Ryan Kehoe allowed five earned runs in six innings to take the loss.
The Dolphins took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first on an AJ Vigliotti sacrifice fly.
The Mavericks tied the game at 1-1 in the top of the second. McAdams singled and advanced to third following an error. Gonzalez later singled home McAdams to tie the game.
Mercy took the lead for good in the top of the third. Caballero led off the inning with a double and later scored on a senior Justin Glennerster (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Joseph by the Sea) sacrifice fly to make it 2-1.
The score remained 2-1 until the top of the fifth when Mercy scored three runs to take a 5-1 lead. Ashline and Caballero singled to start the inning and Ashline scored following a throwing error by the pitcher to make it 3-1. Giblin later doubled to bring home Caballero, giving Mercy a 4-1 lead. Ramirez brought home the final run of the inning on a double to right center, scoring Giblin to make it 5-1.
Mercy added a run in the top of the sixth to make it 6-1. Gonzalez singled to lead off the inning and later scored on a Caballero RBI single.
The Mavericks increased their lead to 7-1 in the top of the seventh when McAdams doubled and later scored on a Gonzalez RBI single.
Staten Island scored a run in the bottom of the eighth to make it 7-2. Mercy tacked on two more runs in the ninth inning to make it 9-2. Schoen brought home the first run on a double down the right field line to make it 8-2 and Sanders singled home Schoen to make it 9-2.
Dieguez pitched a scoreless ninth inning to give Mercy the win.
Mercy had 17 hits and one error and Staten Island had seven hits and two errors.
Head Coach Chris Schoen and the Mavericks resume action tomorrow when they host Staten Island for a doubleheader at 12 p.m.
