MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (Feb. 21, 2025) – Powered by a game-high three RBI from juniors Zach Ashline (Colonie, N.Y./Colonie Central) and Kolongi Goins (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./FDR), the Mercy University baseball team earn an 11-6 win over regionally-ranked Post University on Friday afternoon at Crosley Field.
The Mavericks (3-3) defeat the defending CACC Champion Eagles (0-2) for the first time since 2015 and are off to their best six-game start since the 2021 season when they also started 3-3.
Mercy was led by Ashline who hit his second home run of the year and had three RBI. Goins went 3-for-4 with a career-high three RBI and sophomore Peyton Jemison (Monroe, N.Y./Monroe Woodbury) went 3-for-5. Senior Joseph Gonzalez (Monroe, N.Y./Rockland CC) went 3-for-3 with an RBI, recording his 100th career hit as a Maverick. Junior John Nisco (Tarrytown, N.Y./Sleepy Hollow) went 2-for-5 with an RBI and junior David Bernard Jr. (Schenectady, N.Y./Herkimer CC) went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Senior Alfred Hoti (New York, N.Y./Monsignor McClancy) went 1-for-4 with an RBI and senior Gabe Sanders (Dunedin, Fla./Central Alabama CC) went 1-for-5 with a run. Freshman Andre Jenkins (Chester, N.Y./Chester Academy) made the start on the mound and pitched 5.0 innings with six runs allowed and four strikeouts to take a no-decision. Freshman Ryan DiNapoli (Yorktown Heights, N.Y./Yorktown) pitched 2.1 scoreless innings of relief with two strikeouts to earn his second win of the season. Junior Samuel Gil (Bronx, N.Y./St. Bonaventure University) pitched the final 1.2 innings with no runs allowed to earn his third save.
Post was led by Damaurys Rodriguez who went 3-for-6 with a home run and an RBI. Jake Baumann allowed five runs in three innings to take the loss.
The Eagles scored two runs in the first and second innings to take a 4-0 lead after two innings.
Mercy scored four runs in the third inning to tie the game at 4-4. Gonzalez led off the inning with a single and stole second before scoring on a Goins RBI single to make it 4-1. Goins later scored on a Bernard Jr. RBI single to make it 4-2. Ashline then homered to tie the game at 4-4.
Post scored a run in the fourth inning and another in the fifth inning to take a 6-4 lead.
Mercy recorded three runs in the seventh inning to take a 7-6 lead. Junior Sean McAdams (Fairfield, Conn./Fairfield Ludlowe) walked and stole second before Gonzalez singled to put runners on first and third. Goins then doubled to right field, scoring McAdams and Gonzalez to tie the game at 6-6. Goins later scored on a double steal attempt, giving Mercy a 7-6 lead.
Post loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh, but DiNapoli got a strikeout and groundout to end the inning with the tying and go-ahead runs on base.
The Mavericks tacked on two more insurance runs in the eighth inning to take a 9-6 lead. Sanders led off the inning with a single and scored on a Hoti RBI triple to make it 8-6. Gonzalez later plated Hoti on a sacrifice fly to give Mercy a 9-6 lead.
Mercy tallied two more runs in the ninth inning to build an 11-6 lead. Jemison led off the inning with a triple and scored on a Nisco RBI single to make it 10-6. Ashline later singled home Nisco to put the Mavericks up, 11-6.
Gil pitched a scoreless bottom of the ninth to give Mercy the 11-6 win.
Mercy had a season-high 17 hits with two errors and Post had 17 hits and no errors.
Head Coach Chris Schoen and the Mavericks resume action tomorrow when they face Adelphi for a doubleheader starting at 4 p.m. in Myrtle Beach.
