KUTZTOWN, Pa. (Mar. 14, 2025) – Powered by an RBI from senior Gabe Sanders (Dunedin, Fla./Central Alabama CC), juniors Kolongi Goins (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./FDR) and John Nisco (Tarrytown, N.Y./Sleepy Hollow) and sophomore Peyton Jemison (Monroe, N.Y./Monroe Woodbury) in game one, the Mercy University baseball team earned a 6-3 win in game one at Kutztown University before dropping a 10-4 decision in game two on Friday afternoon at North Campus Field.
The Mavericks (11-9) see their three-game winning streak come to an end with the game two loss, while the Golden Bears (6-8) snap a three-game losing streak with the game two win.
Game 1: Mercy 6, Kutztown 3
The game remained scoreless until the third inning when Mercy scored two runs to take a 2-0 lead. Goins singled and Jemison doubled to put runners on second and third. Nisco then singled to left field, scoring Goins to make it 1-0 before Jemison scored following an error by the third baseman to make it 2-0.
The Mavericks scored four runs in the fourth inning to take a 6-0 lead. Senior Joseph Gonzalez (Monroe, N.Y./Rockland CC) tripled to lead off the inning and scored after Sanders reached on an error by the shortstop to make it 3-0. Jemison later scored Sanders on a sacrifice fly to right field, giving Mercy a 4-0 lead. Goins and senior Alfred Hoti (New York, N.Y./Monsignor McClancy) later scored on a wild pitch to give the Mavericks a 6-0 lead.
Kutztown scored three runs in the sixth inning to make it 6-3, but junior Samuel Gil (Bronx, N.Y./St. Bonaventure University) tossed a scoreless seventh inning to close out the game, giving Mercy a 6-3 win.
Mercy was led by Jemison who went 2-for-2 with an RBI and by Goins who went 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs. Nisco went 1-for-3 with an RBI and Hoti went 2-for-3 with a run scored. Gonzalez and junior Sean McAdams (Fairfield, Conn./Fairfield Ludlowe) both went 2-for-4 and sophomore Nevin Scaperotti (Stormville, N.Y./Carmel) pitched 6.0 innings with three runs allowed and seven strikeouts to earn his first win of the season. Gil struck out two batters in a scoreless seventh inning to earn his fifth save of the season.
Kutztown was led by Jimmy Kerley who went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Kannon Zdimal allowed two earned runs in 6.0 innings to take the loss.
Mercy had 11 hits and one error and Kutztown had seven hits and two errors.
Game 2: Kutztown 10, Mercy 4
The Golden Bears took a 2-0 lead in the second inning on two hits.
Mercy scored a run in the third inning to make it 2-1. Goins singled to lead off the inning and scored on a junior David Bernard Jr. (Schenectady, N.Y./Herkimer CC) RBI single.
The Mavericks scored two more runs in the fourth inning to take a 3-2 lead. Sanders doubled to lead off the inning before scoring on a freshman Matthew Hesselbirg (Port Jefferson Station, N.Y./Newfield) RBI double to tie the game at 2-2. Hesselbirg later scored on a Goins double play to give Mercy a 3-2 lead.
Kutztown scored three runs in the fourth, a run in the fifth and four runs in the sixth inning to take a 10-3 lead. Bernard Jr. doubled with one out in the seventh and scored on a McAdams sacrifice fly to right field to make it 10-4. A flyout to shortstop ended the game, giving the Golden Bears the 10-4 win.
Mercy was led by Bernard Jr. who went 2-for-4 with an RBI and Goins went 1-for-2 with an RBI. Hesselbirg went 1-for-1 with an RBI and Gonzalez went 1-for-4. Sanders went 1-for-4 and senior Connor Ruland (Islip, N.Y./Islip) went 1-for-3. Junior Zach Ashline (Colonie, N.Y./Colonie Central) went 2-for-3 recording his 100th career hit. Senior Matthew Manzoeillo (Beacon, N.Y./Beacon) pitched the first 3.2 innings with five runs allowed to take the loss.
Kutztown was led by Kerley who went 3-for-5 with two RBI. Cody Barberio tossed a complete game with four runs allowed to earn the win.
Mercy had nine hits and one error and Kutztown had 12 hits and no errors.
Head Coach Chris Schoen and the Mavericks resume action tomorrow when they host Kutztown for a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.
