CARY, N.C. – Powered by a game-high four RBI from seniors Zach Ashline (Colonie, N.Y./Colonie Central) and Kolongi Goins (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./FDR), the Mercy University Baseball Team earned a 22-13 win over regionally-ranked Franklin Pierce University on Sunday morning.
The Mavericks (3-1) start 3-1 for the first time since 2018 and sweep the season series with the Ravens (0-4). The 22 runs scored and 24 hits are the most by Mercy since they scored 22 runs and had 25 hits against D'Youville on April 2, 2021.
The Ravens scored a run in the bottom of the first to take a 1-0 lead. Mercy responded with five runs in the top of the second to take a 5-1 lead. Junior Joey Bodin (Matawan, N.J./Matawan Regional) doubled with one out and scored on a Goins triple to tie the game at 1-1. Goins then scored on a passed ball to give Mercy a 2-1 lead. Junior Dylan Koch (Yorktown Heights, N.Y./Pace University) reached on an error and stole second before scoring on a junior Nevin Scaperotti (Stormville, N.Y./Carmel) RBI single to make it 3-1. Ashline then hit a two-run home run to put the Mavericks up, 5-1.
The score stayed 5-1 until the third inning when Franklin Pierce scored six runs to take a 7-5 lead.
Mercy scored a run in the fourth inning on a junior David Bernard Jr. (Schenectady, N.Y./Herkimer CC) RBI double to make it 7-6. The Ravens tacked on two runs in the bottom of the inning to build a 9-6 lead.
An Ashline sacrifice fly in the fifth inning made it 9-7.
The Mavericks exploded for 10 runs on 10 hits in the sixth inning to take a 17-9 lead. Sophomore Matthew Hesselbirg (Port Jefferson Station, N.Y./Newfield), senior John Nisco (Tarrytown, N.Y./Sleepy Hollow) and graduate student Alfred Hoti (New York, N.Y./Monsignor McClancy) led off the inning with three straight singles to load the bases. Hesselbirg scored on a wild pitch to make it 9-8. After Bodin walked to load the bases again, Goins recorded a two-run single to put Mercy up, 10-9. Goins stole second before Koch doubled, allowing Bodin and Goins to score to make it 12-9. Ashline later tripled home Koch to give Mercy a 13-9 lead and Ashline scored on a wild pitch to make it 14-9. Bernard Jr. and Hesselbirg singled before Nisco tripled, allowing both Bernard Jr. and Hesselbirg to score, giving Mercy a 16-9 lead. Hoti grounded out to third, allowing Nisco to score the final run of the inning, making it 17-9.
Franklin Pierce scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth to make it 17-13.
Mercy recorded four more runs in the seventh inning to take a 21-13 lead. Hesselbirg doubled home Ashline for the first run of the inning, making it 18-13. Hoti was later hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, scoring Bernard Jr. to make it 19-13. Bodin hit a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Hesselbirg to give Mercy a 20-13 lead. Goins sacrifice home Nisco to put the Mavericks up, 21-13.
A Hesselbirg sacrifice fly in the eighth inning gave Mercy a 22-13 lead.
Senior Ryan Ehret (Broad Channel, N.Y./Monsignor McClancy) pitched a scoreless eighth and ninth inning to give Mercy the 22-13 win.
Mercy was led by Ashline who went 3-for-4 with four RBI and his first home run of the season. Goins went 5-for-5 with four RBI and three runs and Koch went 2-for-7 with two runs and two RBI. Scaperotti went 2-for-6 with three runs and an RBI and Bernard Jr. went 3-for-4 with an RBI. Hesselbirg went 3-for-3 with two RBI and Nisco went 3-for-6 with three runs and two RBI. Nisco recorded his 100th career RBI, becoming the sixth Maverick in program history to reach the mark. Hoti went 1-for-5 with two RBI and Bodin went 1-for-4 with an RBI. Senior Diego Wirz (Stamford, Conn./Stamford) made his first start of the season and pitched 2.0 innings with four earned runs allowed to earn a no-decision. Freshman Dylan Ruland (Islip, N.Y./Islip) allowed no earned runs in 2.1 innings pitched to earn his first collegiate win in his collegiate debut. Ehret pitched 3.1 scoreless innings of relief to earn his first career save.
Franklin Pierce was led by Andreas Boglis who went 3-for-5 with an RBI. Owen King allowed five runs in an inning of relief to take the loss.
Mercy had 24 hits and two errors, and Franklin Pierce had 14 hits and one error.
Head Coach Chris Schoen and the Mavericks resume action on Tuesday, February 17th when they play at UNC Pembroke at 3 p.m.
