BUFFALO, N.Y. (Apr. 8, 2023) – Powered by the first collegiate win for freshman Brian Zbytniewski (Whitesboro, N.Y./Whitesboro) and a game-high two RBI from graduate student Steven Schoen (Hopewell Junction, N.Y./Sacred Heart University), the Mercy College baseball team earned a 7-3 win over ECC foe D'Youville University on Saturday afternoon at the Medaille Sports Complex.
The Mavericks (6-25, 2-10 ECC) snap a six-game losing streak, while the Saints (13-14, 6-6 ECC) fall below .500 on the season. Today's win is the 100th career win for Head Coach Chris Schoen who has served as the Mavericks head coach for seven seasons. He becomes just the third coach in program history to record 100 wins.
Schoen went 2-for-5 with two RBI and freshman Zach Ashline (Colonie, N.Y./Colonie Central) went 3-for-4 with an RBI. Junior Gabe Sanders (Dunedin, Fla./Central Alabama CC) went 2-for-4 with an RBI and senior Nolan Giblin (Syracuse, N.Y./Jamesville-Dewitt) went 1-for-4 with an RBI and two runs. Sophomore Joseph Gonzalez (Monroe, N.Y./Rockland CC) and senior Justin Glennerster (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Joseph by the Sea) both went 1-for-4 and Zbytniewski pitched six innings with two runs allowed and five strikeouts to earn his first collegiate win. Sophomore Nathan Rodriguez (Hamilton, N.J./Hamilton West) pitched two scoreless innings of relief.
D'Youville was led by Jon Simpson who went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Rob Stephens allowed three earned runs in 6.2 innings to take the loss.
The game remained scoreless until the top of the fifth when Mercy scored three runs to take a 3-0 lead. Ashline singled and sophomore Jaden Caballero (Newburgh, N.Y./Newburgh Free Academy) reached on an error to put runners on second and third. Giblin then reached on an error by the center fielder, allowing Ashline and Caballero to score, making it 2-0. Giblin later scored on a senior Janiel Ramirez (Windsor, Conn./The College of Saint Rose) sacrifice fly to make it 3-0.
The Saints scored two runs in the sixth inning on back-to-back RBI singles from Jeremy Glinski and Simpson to make it 3-2.
Mercy answered with four runs in the top of the seventh to take a 7-2 lead. Giblin led off the inning with a single and Ramirez walked before Schoen hit a two-run double to right center, scoring both Giblin and Ramirez to give Mercy a 5-2 lead. Schoen later scored on a Sanders RBI single to make it 6-2. Ashline plated the final run of the inning on a single to give the Mavericks a 7-2 lead.
The score remained 7-2 until the bottom of the ninth when the Saints scored an unearned run to make it 7-3. However, D'Youville could not score again and the Mavericks earned the 7-3 win.
Mercy had 10 hits and three errors and D'Youville had eight hits and three errors.
Head Coach Chris Schoen and the Mavericks resume action on Friday, April 14th when they play at Staten Island at 3 p.m.
