DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Mar. 21, 2025) – Despite a game-high and career-high five RBI from sophomore Peyton Jemison (Monroe, N.Y./Monroe Woodbury), the Mercy University baseball team dropped a 22-18 decision to St. Thomas Aquinas College in their ECC opener on Friday afternoon at Mercy Field.
The Mavericks (13-11, 0-1 ECC) have dropped two games in a row and fall to the Spartans (4-14, 1-0 ECC) for the fourth straight time.
Mercy was led by Jemison who went 3-for-5 with five RBI and three runs and by junior David Bernard Jr. (Schenectady, N.Y./Herkimer CC) who went 2-for-6 with three RBI. Senior Joseph Gonzalez (Monroe, N.Y./Rockland CC) went 2-for-6 with two RBI and junior Zach Ashline (Colonie, N.Y./Colonie Central) went 1-for-3 with an RBI. Junior Sean McAdams (Fairfield, Conn./Fairfield Ludlowe) went 1-for-4 with two RBI and junior John Nisco (Tarrytown, N.Y./Sleepy Hollow) went 3-for-5 with a home run and two RBI. Senior Gabe Sanders (Dunedin, Fla./Central Alabama CC) went 3-for-5 with an RBI and junior Kolongi Goins (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./FDR) went 3-for-3 with four runs. Senior Alfred Hoti (New York, N.Y./Monsignor McClancy) had an RBI and three runs and sophomore Nevin Scaperotti (Stormville, N.Y./Carmel) pitched the first 5.1 innings with nine earned runs allowed and six strikeouts to take the loss.
STAC was led by Anthony Dimarco who went 3-for-7 with four runs and four RBI. John Dezago pitched 1.2 scoreless innings of relief to earn the win. Kyle Rogers pitched 1.2 innings of relief to earn the save.
The Spartans scored two runs in the top of the first to take a 2-0 lead.
Mercy scored a run in the bottom of the second to make it 2-1. Nisco singled to lead off the inning and later scored on a Hoti RBI groundout.
STAC recorded two runs in the third inning to take a 4-1 lead. Mercy answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning to make it 4-3. Jemison singled to lead off the inning and scored on a Bernard Jr. RBI triple to make it 4-2. McAdams later brought home Bernard Jr. on a sacrifice fly to make it 4-3.
A Ryan Hillery home run in the fourth inning made it 5-3. Mercy scored four runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a 7-5 lead. Sanders walked, Hoti was by a pitch and Goins walked to load the bases. Jemison then hit a bases-clearing triple down the right field line to give the Mavericks a 6-5 lead. Bernard Jr. later singled home Jemison to make it 7-5.
The Spartans scored eight runs in the sixth inning to take a 13-7 lead. STAC added two more runs in the seventh inning to make it 15-7.
Mercy battled back with six runs in the bottom of the seventh to make it 15-13. Gonzalez singled home Hoti to make it 15-8 and Goins scored on a wild pitch to make it 15-9. A Bernard Jr. groundout allowed Jemison to score, making it 15-10. McAdams later singled home Gonzalez to make it 15-11. Nisco doubled home McAdams to get the Mavericks to within three, 15-12, and Sanders singled home Nisco to cut the deficit to two, 15-13.
STAC scored three runs in the eighth inning to take an 18-13 lead. Mercy scored a run in the bottom of the eighth to make it 18-14. Goins singled to lead off the inning and scored on an Ashline sacrifice fly.
The Spartans tallied four more runs in the top of the ninth to build a 22-14 lead.
A Nisco inside-the-park home run to lead off the bottom of the ninth made it 22-15. Sanders doubled, Hoti was hit by a pitch and Goins singled to load the bases. Jemison then doubled, scoring Sanders and Hoti to make it 22-17. Gonzalez plated Goins following a groundout to make it 22-18. Back-to-back strikeouts ended the game, giving STAC the 22-18 win.
Mercy had 18 hits and two errors and STAC had 23 hits and two errors.
Head Coach Chris Schoen and the Mavericks resume action tomorrow when they play at STAC for a doubleheader starting at 12 p.m.
