DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Mar. 8, 2025) – Powered by a game-high three RBI from junior Zach Ashline (Colonie, N.Y./Colonie Central) in game two, the Mercy University baseball team dropped a 6-5 decision to No. 7 West Chester University in game one before earning a 10-6 win in game two on Saturday afternoon at Mercy Field.
The Mavericks (8-6) snap a two-game losing streak with the game two win and snap the Golden Rams (9-3) five-game winning streak in game two. West Chester is the highest ranked team Mercy has beaten in nine seasons under head coach Chris Schoen.
Game 1: #7 West Chester 6, Mercy 5
West Chester took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on a Jake Welsch lead off home run. Mercy scored a run in the bottom of the first to tie the game at 1-1. Junior John Nisco (Tarrytown, N.Y./Sleepy Hollow) doubled and later scored on a passed ball.
The score remained 1-1until the fourth inning when West Chester scored three runs to take a 4-1 lead.
The Golden Rams scored a run in the sixth and seventh innings to take a 6-1 lead.
Senior Alfred Hoti (New York, N.Y./Monsignor McClancy) singled with one out in the bottom of the seventh and sophomore Kyle Engmann (Shoreham, N.Y./Shoreham-Wading River) walked before sophomore Peyton Jemison (Monroe, N.Y./Monroe Woodbury) singled home Hoti to make it 6-2. Nisco then hit a three-run home run to left field to make it 6-5. Junior David Bernard Jr. (Schenectady, N.Y./Herkimer CC) then singled, but Mercy was unable to score and West Chester earned the 6-5 win.
Mercy was led by Nisco who went 2-for-3 with his first home run of the season and a game-high three RBI. Jemison went 2-for-4 with an RBI and Engmann went 1-for-2. Hoti went 1-for-3 and Bernard Jr. and Ashline went 1-for-4. Junior Diego Wirz (Stamford, Conn./Stamford) allowed four runs in 3.1 innings to take the loss.
West Chester was led by Welsch who went 2-for-3 with two RBI. Kyle Lazer allowed no earned runs in 6.0 innings with 14 strikeouts to earn the win.
Mercy had eight hits and one error and West Chester had six hits and one error.
Game 2: Mercy 10, #7 West Chester 6
West Chester took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. Mercy responded with seven runs in the bottom of the first to take a 7-1 lead. Jemison doubled and Nisco singled to lead off the inning before Bernard Jr. walked to load the bases. Ashline then singled home Jemison and Nisco to give Mercy a 2-1 lead. Senior Gabe Sanders (Dunedin, Fla./Central Alabama CC) drew a bases-loaded walk to make it 3-1 and sophomore Nevin Scaperotti (Stormville, N.Y./Carmel) hit a sacrifice fly to right field, giving Mercy a 4-1 lead. Senior Connor Ruland (Islip, N.Y./Islip) then singled home senior Joseph Gonzalez (Monroe, N.Y./Rockland CC) to make it 5-1 and junior Kolongi Goins (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./FDR) doubled home Sanders to make it 6-1. Jemison brought home the final run of the inning on a sacrifice fly to give Mercy a 7-1 lead.
The Golden Rams scored a run in the top of the second to make it 7-2. The Mavericks scored two runs in the bottom of the second to take a 9-2 lead. Gonzalez singled with two outs and stole second before scoring on a wild pitch to make it 8-2. Ruland later singled home Sanders to put the Mavericks up, 9-2.
West Chester scored two runs in the third inning to make it 9-4. An Ashline RBI single in the bottom of the third gave Mercy a 10-4 lead.
The Golden Rams scored a run in the fourth and seventh innings to make it 10-6, but junior Samuel Gil(Bronx, N.Y./St. Bonaventure University) induced a flyout to give Mercy the 10-6 game two win.
Mercy was led by Ashline who went 3-for-4 with three RBI and by Ruland who went 2-for-4 with two RBI. Jemison went 2-for-3 with an RBI and Scaperotti went 2-for-2 with an RBI. Goins went 1-for-4 with an RBI and Gonzalez went 1-for-3 with two runs. Bernard Jr. went 1-for-3 and Nisco went 1-for-4. Senior Matthew Manzoeillo (Beacon, N.Y./Beacon) pitched 4.0 innings with four earned runs allowed and three strikeouts to earn his team-leading third win of the season. Freshman Ethan McGarry (Cohoes, N.Y./Shaker) pitched 1.2 scoreless innings of relief. Gil allowed one run in 1.1 innings to earn his team-leading fourth save of the season.
West Chester was led by Anthony Boccio who went 2-for-4 with two RBI. Kyle Kearns allowed seven runs in 0.1 innings to take the loss.
Mercy had 13 hits and one error and West Chester had nine hits and one error.
Head Coach Chris Schoen and the Mavericks resume action tomorrow when they play at Pace for a doubleheader at 12 p.m.
