DURHAM, N.C. (Feb. 17, 2024) – Despite a team-high three RBI from junior Jaden Caballero (Newburgh, N.Y./Newburgh Free Academy), the Mercy University baseball team dropped an 8-7 decision in 10 innings to The College of Saint Rose on Saturday afternoon at Durham Bulls Athletic Park.
The Mavericks (1-2) have dropped two games in a row, while the Golden Knights (1-0) open their season with a win.
Mercy was led by Caballero who went 2-for-5 with three RBI and by graduate student Justin Glennerster (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Joseph by the Sea) who went 2-for-5 with an RBI. Freshman Peyton Jemison (Monroe, N.Y./Monroe Woodbury) went 2-for-5 with an RBI and junior Joseph Gonzalez (Monroe, N.Y./Rockland CC) went 2-for-5. Sophomore Sean McAdams (Fairfield, Conn./Fairfield Ludlowe) went 1-for-4 and junior Scott Scheppy (Newburgh, N.Y./Newburgh Free Academy) pitched the first 3.1 innings with two earned runs allowed to earn a no-decision. Senior Joshua Alvarado (Yonkers, N.Y./Saunders) pitched 1.2 scoreless innings of relief and junior Matthew Manzoeillo (Beacon, N.Y./Beacon) allowed two runs in 0.2 innings to take the loss.
Saint Rose was led by Mike Benedetto who went 1-for-1 with a three-run home run and by Nathan Toms who went 2-for-3 with a home run and an RBI. Chase Tucker allowed four runs in the first 2.1 innings to earn a no-decision. Thomas Mark pitched four shutout innings to earn the win and Marcus Botelho pitched a scoreless 10th inning to earn the save.
The Golden Knights scored two runs in the top of the first to take a 2-0 lead. Mercy answered with a run in the bottom of the first when Jemison led off the inning with a single and scored on a Glennerster RBI single to make it 2-1.
Saint Rose added a run in the second inning to take a 3-1 lead. The Mavericks made it 3-2 in the bottom of the second inning after sophomore John Nisco (Tarrytown, N.Y./Sleepy Hollow) walked and later scored on a Caballero RBI single.
Mercy took their first lead of the game in the third inning, scoring four runs to take a 6-3 lead. Glennerster led off the inning with a double and later scored on a sophomore Kolongi Goins (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./FDR) bases-loaded walk. Jemison was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to give Mercy a 4-3 lead and Caballero singled home two more runs to give the Mavericks a 6-3 advantage.
The score stayed 6-3 until the fifth inning when sophomore Liam Padden (Bronx, N.Y./Canyon Del Oro) scored on a wild pitch to make it 7-3. Mercy held a 7-3 lead until the eighth inning when Toms led off the inning with a home run to make it 7-4. The Golden Knights evened the score at 7-7 in the top of the ninth down to their last out when Benedetto hit a pinch-hit three-run home run.
Saint Rose took the lead back in the tenth inning when James Ward singled home a run to make it 8-7. Mercy went down in order in the bottom of the 10th, giving the Golden Knights the 8-7 win.
Mercy had nine hits and one error and Saint Rose had nine hits and no errors.
Head Coach Chris Schoen and the Mavericks resume action tomorrow when they face Saint Rose at 10 a.m. in Durham, North Carolina.
