DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Apr. 27, 2024) – Despite graduate student Nolan Giblin (Syracuse, N.Y./Jamesville Dewitt) setting a school record for career hits in game two, the Mercy University baseball team dropped 9-5 and 6-4 decisions to ECC foe St. Thomas Aquinas College on Saturday afternoon at Mercy Field.

The Mavericks (19-25, 9-10 ECC) see their five-game winning streak come to an end, while the Spartans (18-24, 9-10 ECC) are now tied with Mercy for the fourth and final ECC Championship spot.

Game 1: STAC 9, Mercy 5

After a scoreless first inning, STAC scored a run in the second, third, fourth and sixth innings to take a 4-0 lead.

The Spartans added three more runs in the seventh inning to take a 7-0 lead. Mercy got a run back in the bottom of the seventh, making it 7-1. Sophomore Zach Ashline (Colonie, N.Y./Colonie Central) doubled and scored on a sophomore John Nisco (Tarrytown, N.Y./Sleepy Hollow) double.

STAC scored two more runs in the eighth inning to take a 9-1 lead. Mercy responded with four runs in the bottom of the inning to make it 9-5. Graduate student Janiel Ramirez (Windsor, Conn./The College of Saint Rose) and junior Jaden Caballero (Newburgh, N.Y./Newburgh Free Academy) singled to lead off the inning before freshman Nevin Scaperotti (Stormville, N.Y./Carmel) singled home Ramirez to make it 9-2. Giblin then singled home Caballero to make it 9-3. An Ashline RBI single later in the inning made it 9-4. Following a Spartans pitching change, junior Alfred Hoti (New York, N.Y./Monsignor McClancy) hit a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Giblin to make it 9-5. A groundout ended the inning.

Mercy could not score in the ninth inning, giving STAC the 9-5 game one win.

Mercy was led by Giblin and Ashline who both went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Caballero went 2-for-5 with a run and Nisco went 1-for-4 with an RBI. Ramirez went 1-for-2 with a run and junior Joseph Gonzalez (Monroe, N.Y./Rockland CC) went 1-for-4. Graduate student Brandon Nolasco (Chester, N.Y./Mount Saint Mary College) went 1-for-3 and Scaperotti went 1-for-1 with an RBI. Senior Ryan Rozinski (Middletown, N.J./Middletown North) allowed four runs in 5.1 innings to take the loss.

STAC was led by Gregory DiGiaro who went 2-for-2 with three runs and an RBI. John Archer allowed five runs in 7.1 innings to earn the win.

Mercy had 11 hits and no errors and STAC had 11 hits and no errors.

Game 2: STAC 6, Mercy 4

STAC scored two runs in the top of the second to take a 2-0 lead. Mercy scored a run in the bottom of the inning to make it 2-1. Ashline walked to lead off the inning and later scored on a Nisco RBI single.

The Spartans added a run in the third inning to take a 3-1 lead. Mercy answered with a run in the bottom of the inning to make it 3-2. Caballero singled to lead off the inning and later scored after Ashline reached on a fielder's choice.

STAC recorded a run in the fourth inning to take a 4-2 lead. Mercy evened the score with two runs in the bottom of the fourth to make it 4-4. Nisco singled and Gonzalez doubled to put runners on second and third. Ramirez then hit a two-run single to center field, scoring Nisco and Gonzalez to tie the game at 4-4.

The game remained tied until the sixth inning when David Potenza singled home DiGiaro to give the Spartans a 5-4 lead. STAC scored an insurance run in the seventh inning to make it 6-4. Nisco singled in the bottom of the seventh, but was left stranded at first, giving STAC the 6-4 game two win.

Mercy was led by Giblin who went 1-for-3, recording his school record 211th career hit. He surpasses the previous record of 210 hits set by Chris Walpole in 1990. Nisco went 3-for-4 with an RBI and Ramirez went 1-for-3 with two RBI. Gonzalez went 2-for-4 and Caballero went 2-for-3. Graduate student Justin Glennerster (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Joseph by the Sea) and Hoti both went 1-for-4 and junior Matthew Manzoeillo (Beacon, N.Y./Beacon) allowed five runs in six innings to take the loss.

STAC was led by Potenza who went 2-for-2 with three RBI. John Dezago pitched 2.2 scoreless innings to earn the win. Kyle Rogers pitched a scoreless ninth inning to earn the save.

Mercy had 11 hits and no errors and STAC had nine hits and no errors.

Head Coach Chris Schoen and the Mavericks resume action tomorrow when they play at STAC at 12 p.m.