CARY, N.C. (Feb. 14, 2025) – Powered by a game-high two RBI from senior Connor Ruland (Islip, N.Y./Islip), the Mercy University baseball team earned a 5-3 win over regionally-ranked Goldey-Beacom College on Friday night.
The Mavericks (1-1) pick up their first win of the season and earn a season split with the Lightning (2-1) for the second straight year.
Mercy was led by Ruland who went 1-for-3 with a career-high two RBI. Junior John Nisco (Tarrytown, N.Y./Sleepy Hollow) went 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs and junior David Bernard Jr. (Schenectady, N.Y./Herkimer CC) went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Junior Sean McAdams (Fairfield, Conn./Fairfield Ludlowe) went 1-for-3 with an RBI and junior Kolongi Goins (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./FDR) went 2-for-4. Junior Diego Wirz (Stamford, Conn./Stamford) made the start on the mound and went four innings with two runs allowed to take a no-decision. Freshman Ryan DiNapoli (Yorktown Heights, N.Y./Yorktown) pitched 1.2 scoreless innings of relief in his collegiate debut to earn his first collegiate win. Freshman Ethan McGarry (Cohoes, N.Y./Shaker) pitched 1.1 innings with one run allowed in his collegiate debut and freshman Derek Fernandez (Yonkers, N.Y./Mount St. Michael Academy) tossed a scoreless inning of relief in his collegiate debut. Junior Samuel Gil (Bronx, N.Y./St. Bonaventure University) pitched a scoreless ninth inning to earn the save in his Mercy debut.
Goldey-Beacom was led by Anthony Charles who went 3-for-4 with a run scored. Kory Williams allowed five runs in 5.2 innings to take the loss.
The Lightning took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second on a sacrifice fly by Nick Harkins.
The score remained 1-0 until the top of the fourth when Mercy scored three runs to take a 3-1 lead. Junior Zach Ashline (Colonie, N.Y./Colonie Central) walked with one out and scored on a Nisco RBI double to tie the game at 1-1. McAdams then singled home Nisco to give Mercy a 2-1 lead. Bernard Jr. later doubled home McAdams to give the Mavericks a 3-1 lead.
A Jaden Dickerson home run to lead off the fourth inning made it 3-2.
Mercy tacked on two more runs in the sixth inning to take a 5-2 lead. Nisco doubled and senior Gabe Sanders (Dunedin, Fla./Central Alabama CC) walked before stealing second and third. Ruland then singled, scoring both Nisco and Sanders to give the Mavericks a 5-2 lead.
Goldey-Beacom made it 5-3 following an RBI groundout by Mitch Jolikko in the seventh inning.
Fernandez and Gil combined to pitch a scoreless eighth and ninth inning to give Mercy the 5-3 win.
Mercy had eight hits and one error and Goldey-Beacom had four hits and one error.
Head Coach Chris Schoen and the Mavericks resume action on Sunday, February 16th when they face Franklin Pierce for a doubleheader starting at 3 p.m. in Cary.
