CARY, N.C. (Feb. 16, 2025) – Powered by home runs from sophomore Peyton Jemison (Monroe, N.Y./Monroe Woodbury) and junior Zach Ashline (Colonie, N.Y./Colonie Central), the Mercy University baseball team earned an 11-10 win over regionally-ranked Franklin Pierce University in game one before falling 8-4 in the nightcap on Sunday afternoon.
The Mavericks (2-2) snap an 11-game losing streak to the Ravens (1-2) with the game one win. Mercy defeated Franklin Pierce for the first time since 2012.
Game 1: Mercy 11, Franklin Pierce 10
Mercy took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. Junior John Nisco (Tarrytown, N.Y./Sleepy Hollow) brought home the first run after reaching on an error and junior Sean McAdams (Fairfield, Conn./Fairfield Ludlowe) later singled home Nisco, giving Mercy a 2-0 lead. The Ravens scored a run in the bottom of the first to make it 2-1.
The score remained 2-1 until the fourth inning when Mercy scored five runs to take a 7-1 lead. Ashline led off the inning with a double and later scored on a senior Alfred Hoti (New York, N.Y./Monsignor McClancy) RBI single to make it 3-1. Senior Gabe Sanders (Dunedin, Fla./Central Alabama CC) also scored after an error by the second baseman to give Mercy a 4-1 lead. Jemison later hit a two-run home run to give Mercy a 6-1 advantage. McAdams later plated the final run after reaching on an error by the shortstop to put the Mavericks up, 7-1.
The Mavericks tacked on three more runs in the fifth inning to take a 10-1 lead. Hoti singled and later scored after a balk to make it 8-1. Senior Joseph Gonzalez (Monroe, N.Y./Rockland CC) then grounded out to second base, scoring junior Kolongi Goins (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./FDR) to give Mercy a 9-1 lead. Nisco then singled home Jemison to make it 10-1.
It remained 10-1 until the seven inning when the Ravens scored four runs to make it 10-5. Franklin Pierce added four more runs in the eighth inning to make it 10-9.
Mercy added a run in the top of the ninth on a senior Frankie Asaro (East Williston, N.Y./Wheatley) RBI single to take an 11-9 lead. The Ravens scored a run in the bottom of the ninth to make it 11-10 but junior Samuel Gil (Bronx, N.Y./St. Bonaventure University) got a strikeout with the tying run at third to close out the Mavericks 11-10 win.
Mercy was led by Jemison who went 1-for-3 with three runs, his first home run of the season and two RBI. McAdams went 2-for-4 with two RBI and Nisco went 1-for-5 with two RBI. Hoti went 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI and junior David Bernard Jr. (Schenectady, N.Y./Herkimer CC) went 2-for-4. Asaro went 1-for-1 with an RBI and Gonzalez went 1-for-5 with an RBI. Freshman Matthew Hesselbirg (Port Jefferson Station, N.Y./Newfield) went 1-for-1 with his first collegiate hit and Ashline went 1-for-4. Sophomore Nevin Scaperotti (Stormville, N.Y./Carmel) went 1-for-1 and Sanders went 1-for-5. Sophomore Kyle Engmann (Shoreham, N.Y./Shoreham Wading River) went 1-for-1 and freshman Andre Jenkins (Chester, N.Y./Chester Academy) made his first collegiate start with 6.0 innings pitched and four strikeouts with two hits and one run allowed to earn his first collegiate win. Junior Ryan Ehret (Broad Channel, N.Y./Monsignor McClancy) pitched 0.1 scoreless innings of relief and Gil pitched the final 1.2 innings with no earned runs allowed to earn his second save of the season.
Franklin Pierce was led by Shane Hewlette who went 1-for-4 with two RBI. Drew DeLucia allowed five earned runs in 3.2 innings to take the loss.
Mercy had 15 hits and two errors and Franklin Pierce had seven hits and six errors.
Game 2: Franklin Pierce 8, Mercy 4
Franklin Pierce scored two runs in the top of the first to take a 2-0 lead. Mercy got a run back in the bottom of the first when Bernard Jr. singled home Jemison to make it 2-1.
The Ravens added a run in the second inning to take a 3-1 lead. An Ashline lead off home run in the bottom of the second made it 3-2 and sophomore Joey Bodin (Matawan, N.J./Matawan Regional) later plated Sanders on a sacrifice fly to tie the game at 3-3.
The score stayed 3-3 until the seventh inning when Franklin Pierce scored three runs to take a 6-3 lead. The Ravens added two more runs in the eighth inning to make it 8-3.
A Jemison RBI single in the bottom of the ninth made it 8-4, but popup to second ended the game with runners on first and second.
Mercy was led by Jemison who went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Ashline went 2-for-3 with his first home run of the season and an RBI. Engmann went 2-for-4 and Nisco went 1-for-4. Bernard Jr. went 1-for-4 with an RBI and Sanders went 1-for-3. Graduate student John Gillespie (Massapequa Park, N.Y./Massapequa) pitched the first 1.1 innings with three runs allowed to take a no-decision. Scaperotti pitched 6.1 innings of relief with two earned runs allowed and three strikeouts to take the loss.
Franklin Pierce was led by Nolan DeAndrade who went 2-for-4 with two RBI. Kyle Salvati pitched 4.0 innings of relief with one run allowed to earn the win.
Mercy had nine hits and four errors and Franklin Pierce had seven hits and no errors.
Head Coach Chris Schoen and the Mavericks resume action on Tuesday, February 18th when they play UNC Pembroke in Myrtle Beach at 3 p.m.
