DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Feb. 20, 2025) – The Mercy University baseball team faces Post University on Friday, February 21st at 3:30 p.m. in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The Mavericks will then face Adelphi University for a doubleheader starting at 4 p.m. on Saturday, February 22nd before concluding their southern trip with a game against Bentley University on Sunday, February 23rd at 9 a.m.
Who, When and Where
Date/Time: Friday, February 21st 3:30 p.m.
Records: Mercy (2-3), Post (0-0)
Location: Myrtle Beach, S.C. (Ripken Park)
Date/Time: Saturday, February 22nd 4 & 7 p.m.
Records: Mercy (2-3), Adelphi (0-0)
Location: Myrtle Beach, S.C. (Ripken Park)
Date/Time: Sunday, February 23rd 9 a.m.
Records: Mercy (2-3), Bentley (2-1)
Location: Myrtle Beach, S.C. (Ripken Park)
Last Meeting vs. Post
Post earned a 6-4 win over Mercy on April 12, 2015.
Last Meeting vs. Adelphi
Adelphi earned a 12-5 win over Mercy on February 24, 2024.
Last Meeting vs. Bentley
Bentley earned an 18-2 win over Mercy on February 25, 2024.
Scouting the Mavericks
Mercy enters the 2025 season picked fourth in the ECC Preseason Poll after going 20-29 overall and 10-14 in ECC play last season. The Mavericks look to qualify for the ECC Tournament for the fourth time in five seasons under Head Coach Chris Schoen.
Leading the returners for the Mavericks is sophomore Nevin Scaperotti who was named ECC Rookie of the Year and Second Team All-ECC last season after going 5-3 on the mound with a 4.52 ERA in 67.2 innings pitched while also hitting .382 with 13 RBI, 26 hits and 10 runs. Senior Alfred Hoti also returns after being named Second Team All-ECC last season and NCBWA Preseason All-East Region earlier this week. The catcher hit .241 with 27 hits, 21 runs, six doubles and 28 RBI. Junior Zach Ashline is back after hitting 11 home runs last season, tying the single-season school record and ranking third in the ECC in home runs. Junior John Nisco returns after hitting .315 a year ago with 28 runs, five home runs and 33 RBI and senior Gabe Sanders is back after hitting .309 with 19 RBI in 29 games last season. Junior Sean McAdams is also back after hitting .417 in nine games last season. McAdams hit .324 with 23 RBI, three home runs and 31 runs during his freshman season in 2023. Senior Joseph Gonzalez is back after recording 24 RBI, 38 runs and 13 stolen bases in 2024 and sophomore Peyton Jemison returns after hitting .377 with six RBI in 13 games before suffering a season-ending injury. Jemison was named ECC Rookie of the Week once last season. Sophomore Kyle Engmann returns after hitting .250 with nine RBI and 10 stolen bases in 32 games a year ago. Also, returning are seniors Frankie Asaro and Connor Ruland, sophomore Joey Bodin, junior Kolongi Goins.
Schoen will also lean on freshmen Andre Jenkins, Anthony Altobelli, Matthew Hesselbirg, Jack Antalek and transfers David Bernard Jr., Anthony Dolce and Jaison Mock to help get the Mavericks back to the ECC Tournament.
Jenkins was named Pitcher of the Year and MVP at Chester Academy, hitting over .500 all four years of high school. Altobelli was named All-League twice and was a four-year varsity starter at Kings Park High School. Hesselbirg was a two-time All-County and two-time All-League recipient at Newfield High School and Antalek was named to the Hudson Valley select senior game.
Bernard transfers to the Mavericks from St. Peter's University and Herkimer Community College. The junior had a 21-game hitting streak while at Herkimer. Dolce comes from Westchester Community College where he was named Second Team All-Region. Mock joins the Mavericks from the College of Saint Rose where he appeared in 19 games, hitting .250 with three RBI and four stolen bases.
Leading the returners on the mound is senior Matthew Manzoeillo who went 3-4 last season with a 4.19 ERA and 29 strikeouts in 43 innings pitched. Also returning is graduate student John Gillespie who appeared in 10 games last season making five starts and went 1-3 in 22.2 innings pitched. Junior Ryan Ehret is back after tossing 12.1 innings in 2024 with nine strikeouts and a 1-0 record and senior Jack Sullivan returns after going 3-2 with 15 strikeouts in 25.1 innings. Junior Diego Wirz also returns after tossing 16.1 innings a year ago with 13 strikeouts. Seniors Will Sullo and Gaetano Pennisi and sophomore Jack Esposito also return and will look to make an impact on the mound.
Schoen will also look to freshmen Gordon Votruba, Chase de Castro, Nicholas Stella, Manuel Martinez, Ethan McGarry, Ryan DiNapoli, Omar Giret, Sammy Mendez, Owen Brink and Derek Fernandez and Division I St. Bonaventure transfer Samuel Gil.
De Castro was named All-League as a sophomore and senior at Rutland High School in Vermont, Stella was tabbed All-League at Shoreham-Wading River High School, McGarry was named Suburban Council All Star, DiNapoli was named All-League, All-Section and Comeback Player of the Year at Yorktown High School and Mendez had 120 strikeouts, 14 complete games and a 1.68 ERA at White Plains High School.
Mercy is coming off a 19-1 loss against nationally-ranked UNC Pembroke on Tuesday. The Mavericks have been led by sophomore Peyton Jemison who is hitting .316 with a home run and three RBI to go with a team-high five runs scored. Junior David Bernard Jr. is hitting .300 with two RBI and junior John Nisco is hitting .316 with a team-high four RBI to go along with four runs scored. Junior Sean McAdams has three RBI and three stolen bases and junior Zach Ashline is hitting a team-high .333 with a home run and an RBI. The pitching staff has been led by sophomore Nevin Scaperotti who has pitched a team-high 10.2 innings with a 1.69 ERA and eight strikeouts in two appearances. Freshman Andre Jenkins is 1-0 with a 1.50 ERA in 6.0 innings with four strikeouts and junior Diego Wirz has pitched 4.0 innings with a 4.50 ERA. Freshman Ryan DiNapoli is 1-0 with a 5.40 ERA in 3.1 innings and junior Samuel Gil has two saves with a 0.00 ERA in 2.2 innings.
Mercy looks to defeat Post for the first time since 2015. The Mavericks are 3-16-2 in their last 21 meetings against Adelphi. Mercy looks to beat Bentley for the first time.
Scouting the Eagles
Post will open their 2025 season against Franklin Pierce on Thursday before facing Mercy on Friday. The Eagles were picked second in the CACC North Division Poll after going 28-21 last season, winning the CACC Championship and qualifying for the NCAA Tournament. Post is ranked No. 7 in the NCBWA East Region Poll. Leading the returners for Post is Brennan Holligan who was named NCBWA Preseason All-East Region after going 7-3 last season with a 2.70 ERA. Also returning is Evan Cornwell who hit .312 last season with 27 RBI and 10 stolen bases and Justin Rivera who hit .292 with 39 RBI and 12 doubles in 2024. Joe Christiana also returns on the mound after going 7-1 last season with a 3.27 ERA and 70 strikeouts in 74.1 innings. Jack Martineau and Matt Semon also return after combining for nine wins last season.
Scouting the Panthers
Adelphi will open their 2025 season on Friday against Queens before facing Mercy on Saturday. The Panthers were picked third in the NE10 Southwest Division Preseason Poll after going 23-23 last season, qualifying for the NE10 Championship. Leading the returners for Adelphi is Joe Pellegrino who hit a team-high .370 with 50 RBI, 10 home runs and 38 runs scored. Also returning is Albert Ramos who hit .335 with 33 RBI, 26 runs and 10 doubles. Greyson Pizzonia is also back after hitting .305 with a team-high 16 stolen bases and Jack Wishner returns after hitting .290 with 21 RBI. Returning on the mound is Dawson Montesa who pitched 44.0 innings last season with a 2-5 record and 7.36 ERA. Gavin Graff returns after posting a team-high six wins with a 5.98 ERA in 40.2 innings in 2024.
Scouting the Falcons
Bentley is coming off a 6-3 loss at Palm Beach Atlantic on February 9th. The Falcons were picked third in the NE10 Northeast Division Preseason Poll after going 29-19 last season, qualifying for the NE10 Championship. Bentley is receiving votes in the NCBWA East Region Top 10 Poll. Bentley has been led by Stan DeMartinis III who is hitting a team-high .538 with a team-high seven RBI and two home runs. Brendan Sencaj is hitting .417 with five RBI and a home run and Nick Pappas has five RBI. Pat Heber is 1-0 on the mound with a 0.00 ERA in 7.0 innings with seven strikeouts and Zach Eigenbrod is 1-0 with five strikeouts in 3.0 innings. Jayden Longdin has a 4.50 ERA in 4.0 innings.
Next Game
Mercy hosts Adelphi on Thursday, February 27th at 3 p.m.
