MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (Feb. 24, 2024) – Powered by the go-ahead home run from sophomore Zach Ashline (Colonie, N.Y./Colonie Central) in the seventh inning of game one, the Mercy University baseball team earned a 5-3 win over Adelphi University before falling 12-5 in the nightcap on Saturday night.
The Mavericks (2-6) snapped a five-game losing streak with the game one win, while the Panthers (1-2) pick up their first win of the season in game two.
Game 1: Mercy 5, Adelphi 3
Adelphi took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first on a three-run triple by Jack Wishner.
The score remained 3-0 until the top of the third when Mercy scored a run to make it 3-1. Freshman Peyton Jemison (Monroe, N.Y./Monroe Woodbury) and junior Joseph Gonzalez (Monroe, N.Y./Rockland CC) recorded back-to-back singles with one out. Graduate student Justin Glennerster (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Joseph by the Sea) then hit a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Jemison to make it 3-1.
The Mavericks tied the game at 3-3 in the top of the fourth with two runs. Senior Gabe Sanders (Dunedin, Fla./Central Alabama CC) walked and stole second and third before scoring on a wild pitch to make it 3-2. Sophomore John Nisco (Tarrytown, N.Y./Sleepy Hollow) later singled home junior Jaden Caballero (Newburgh, N.Y./Newburgh Free Academy) to tie the game at 3-3.
The two teams were tied at 3-3 heading to the top of the seventh when Mercy plated two runs to take a 5-3 lead. Glennerster led off the inning with a single and scored on a two-run home run by Ashline, giving the Mavericks a 5-3 lead.
Junior Jack Sullivan (Orlando, Fla./Allegany College of Maryland) pitched a scoreless seventh and eighth innings and sophomore Riley Williams (Nantucket, Mass./Nantucket) pitched a scoreless ninth inning to give Mercy the 5-3 win.
Mercy was led by Ashline who went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI and by Glennerster who went 3-for-4 with an RBI. Nisco went 2-for-4 with an RBI and Jemison went 1-for-4 with a run. Gonzalez went 1-for-5 and graduate student John Gillespie (Massapequa Park, N.Y./Massapequa) pitched the first 4.2 innings with three runs allowed to take a no-decision. Sullivan pitched 3.1 shutout innings with two strikeouts to earn his first win as a Maverick. Williams tossed a scoreless ninth inning with two strikeouts to earn the save.
Adelphi was led by Wishner who went 2-for-3 with three RBI. Jacob Dannenberg pitched 3.2 innings of relief with two runs allowed to take the loss.
Mercy had nine hits and three errors and Adelphi had five hits and no errors.
Game 2: Adelphi 12, Mercy 5
Adelphi took a 4-0 lead in the top of the first on two hits. The Mavericks got a run back in the bottom of the first to make it 4-1. Nisco drew a bases-loaded walk that allowed Gonzalez to score.
The Panthers added two more runs in the second inning to take a 6-1 lead. Mercy inched closer with two runs in the bottom of the second to make it 6-3. Caballero tripled and scored after Gonzalez reached on an error to make it 6-2. Glennerster then singled to put runners on first and third before Ashline reached on an error, allowing Gonzalez to score to make it 6-3.
Mercy scored another run in the third inning to make it 6-4 after graduate student Brandon Nolasco (Chester, N.Y./Mount Saint Mary College) homered. Adelphi tacked on a run in the fourth and five runs in the fifth inning to take a 12-4 lead.
The score remained 12-4 until the bottom of the seventh when Mercy scored a run to make it 12-5. Freshman Kyle Engmann (Shoreham, N.Y./Shoreham-Wading River) led off the inning with a walk and later scored on a freshman Nevin Scaperotti (Stormville, N.Y./Carmel) RBI single. A flyout to center ended the game with runners on first and third.
Mercy was led by Nolasco who went 1-for-4 with his second home run of the season and one RBI. Scaperotti went 2-for-2 with his first collegiate hits and one RBI and Glennerster went 2-for-3. Caballero went 2-for-3 and graduate student Ryan Dieguez (Westbury, N.Y./Chaminade) pitched the first 0.2 innings with four runs allowed to take the loss. Senior Joshua Alvarado (Yonkers, N.Y./Saunders) and junior Will Sullo (Valley Cottage, N.Y./Rockland CC) combined to pitch 3.0 scoreless innings of relief.
Adelphi was led by Alec Maag who went 2-for-4 with three RBI. Dawson Montesa pitched the first five innings with two earned runs allowed to earn the win.
Mercy had seven hits and no errors and Adelphi had 13 hits and two errors.
Head Coach Chris Schoen and the Mavericks resume action tomorrow when they face Bentley at 9 a.m. in Myrtle Beach.
