SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. (Apr. 29, 2023) – Despite a home run from freshman Zach Ashline (Colonie, N.Y./Colonie Central) in game one, the Mercy College baseball team dropped 7-4 and 5-4 decisions to Shippensburg University on Saturday afternoon at Fairchild Field.
The Mavericks (12-30) see their two-game winning streak come to an end, while the Raiders (24-22) move over .500 with the sweep.
Game 1: Shippensburg 7, Mercy 4
The Raiders took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first on two hits.
Mercy struck for three runs in the third inning to take a 3-1 lead. Junior Gabe Sanders (Dunedin, Fla./Central Alabama CC) singled and junior Jared Hernandez (Moca, P.R./Friends University) walked. After both runners advanced due to a wild pitch, sophomore Jaden Caballero (Newburgh, N.Y./Newburgh Free Academy) recorded a two-run single up the middle to make it 2-1. Freshman Sean McAdams (Fairfield, Conn./Fairfield Ludlowe) later brought home Caballero following a sacrifice fly to left field, making it 3-1. Shippensburg answered with four runs on five hits in the bottom of the third to take a 5-3 lead.
The Mavericks got a run back in the fourth inning when Ashline led off the inning with a home run to left center to make it 5-4. The Raiders scored a run in the bottom of the fourth and a run in the sixth inning to make it 7-4.
Mercy could not score in the seventh inning giving Shippensburg the game one win.
Caballero went 1-for-4 with two RBI and Ashline went 1-for-3 with his second home run of the season. Sanders went 2-for-3 and graduate student Steven Schoen (Hopewell Junction, N.Y./Sacred Heart University) went 1-for-2. Senior Justin Glennerster (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Joseph by the Sea) went 1-for-4 and graduate student Kevin Seckler (Beacon, N.Y./Our Lady of Lourdes) allowed five runs in three innings to take the loss.
Shippensburg was led by Tony Falvo who went 2-for-3 with two RBI. Noah Nabholz allowed four runs in four innings to earn the win. Austen Labarre pitched a scoreless seventh inning to earn the save.
Mercy had six hits and no errors and Shippensburg had 10 hits and no errors.
Game 2: Shippensburg 5, Mercy 4
Mercy took a 4-0 lead in the second inning. Ashline led off the inning with a double and scored on a wild pitch to make it 1-0. Sophomore Connor Ruland (Islip, N.Y./Islip) then recorded an RBI groundout, scoring McAdams to make it 2-0. Caballero then singled home senior Janiel Ramirez (Windsor, Conn./The College of Saint Rose), who walked earlier in the inning, giving Mercy a 3-0 lead. Senior Nolan Giblin (Syracuse, N.Y./Jamesville-Dewitt) then doubled to right center, plating Caballero to put the Mavericks up 4-0.
The Raiders scored a run in the third inning, a run in the fourth inning and a run in the sixth inning to make it 4-3.
The score remained 4-3 until the bottom of the ninth when Shippensburg scored two runs on four hits to earn the 5-4 walk-off win after an RBI single by Andrew Chronister.
Caballero and Giblin both went 2-for-4 with an RBI and Ruland went 1-for-4 with an RBI. Schoen and Ashline both went 1-for-4. Sophomore Scott Scheppy (Newburgh, N.Y./Newburgh Free Academy) allowed three runs in six innings to take a no-decision. Senior Ryan Dieguez (Westbury, N.Y./Chaminade) pitched two scoreless innings of relief. Freshman Marcos Feliz (Boston, Mass./Southern New Hampshire University) allowed two runs and recorded one out in the ninth to take the loss.
Shippensburg was led by Chronister who went 2-for-4 with two RBI. Eric Bohenek pitched 5.1 shutout innings of relief to earn the win.
Mercy had seven hits and no errors and Shippensburg had 14 hits and one error.
Head Coach Chris Schoen and the Mavericks resume action on Thursday, May 4th when they host Lincoln at 3:30 p.m.
