DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. – The Mercy University Baseball Team plays at UNC Pembroke on Tuesday, February 17th at 3 p.m.

Who, When and Where

Date/Time: Tuesday, February 17th 3 p.m.

Records: Mercy (3-1), UNC Pembroke (7-1)

Location: Pembroke, North Carolina

Last Meeting vs. UNC Pembroke

Mercy dropped a 19-1 decision at UNC Pembroke on February 18, 2025.

Scouting the Mavericks

Mercy enters the 2026 season picked second in the ECC Preseason Poll after going 29-24 overall and 10-10 in ECC play, setting a single-season school record for wins. The Mavericks were picked a program-best second in the ECC Preseason Poll. Mercy looks to qualify for the ECC Tournament for the fifth time in six seasons under Head Coach Chris Schoen.

Leading the returners for the Mavericks is senior John Nisco who was named NCBWA Preseason All-Region. Nisco earned NCBWA and D2CCA Second Team All-Region honors last season after being named First Team All-ECC. The senior hit .337 in 2025 with 66 hits, 50 runs, 56 RBI, nine home runs, nine doubles, five triples, and 13 stolen bases. The outfielder ranked fourth in the ECC in runs, third in home runs and was second in RBI. Nisco set a new single-season school record for RBI and recorded his 100th career hit during the season.

Also returning is senior Kolongi Goins who was named NCBWA Preseason All-Region after being named NCBWA Second Team All-Region last season and First Team All-ECC. The outfielder hit .391 last season with 59 hits, 45 runs, 28 RBI, nine doubles and five stolen bases. Goins ranked second in the ECC in average.

Sophomore Andre Jenkins leads the returners on the mound. The pitcher was named NCBWA Preseason All-Region after being named First Team All-ECC last season. Jenkins went 6-1 with a 3.72 ERA and 43 strikeouts in 67.2 innings pitched. The sophomore tied the single-season school record for wins and led the team in ERA and innings pitched. He was second in the ECC in wins and fourth in ERA. Sophomore Gordon Votruba was named NCBWA Preseason All-Region after earning Second Team All-Region and First Team All-ECC honors last season. Votruba went 0-2 with three saves, a 4.04 ERA and 15 strikeouts in 42.1 innings pitched. The pitcher tied for the team lead in appearances and ranked in the top 10 in the ECC in saves.

Graduate student Alfred Hoti is also back for the Mavericks after being named Second Team All-ECC last season. Hoti hit .275 with 14 RBI and 28 runs scored. Senior Zach Ashline earned Second Team All-ECC honors last year after hitting .279 with 37 RBI, eight home runs and 27 runs scored.

Seniors David Bernard Jr. and Sean McAdams also return in the infield. Bernard Jr. hit .279 with four home runs and 35 RBI to go with 13 doubles. McAdams hit .264 with 25 RBI and 31 runs scored. Graduate student Connor Ruland, senior Anthony Dolce, juniors Joey Bodin and Kyle Engmann, and sophomores Matthew Hesselbirg, Anthony Altobelli and Jack Antalek also return.

Also returning from the pitching staff is junior Nevin Scaperotti who was named ECC Rookie of the Year and Second Team All-ECC in 2024. Last season, Scaperotti made 10 starts on the bump and pitched 54.1 innings with a team-high-tying 43 strikeouts. Sophomore Ryan DiNapoli returns after going 5-1 with a 3.90 ERA, four saves and 18 strikeouts in 27.2 innings. Senior Diego Wirz is back after going 5-2 in nine starts with 43.2 innings with 23 strikeouts and senior Samuel Gil returns after recording a team-high eight saves in 14.2 innings last season. Sophomore Ethan McGarry returns after going 2-0 with 16 strikeouts in 28.2 innings pitched and senior Ryan Ehret, junior Jack Esposito and sophomores Owen Brink, Chase de Castro, Nicholas Stella, Omar Giret and Derek Fernandez also return.

Leading the newcomers is junior Dylan Koch who was named NE10 Southwest Division Rookie Hitter of the Year at Pace University in 2024. Koch hit .305 during his freshman year with 17 runs, 21 RBI and three home runs. Also joining the Mavericks as transfers are sophomore Tate Van Alstyne who transfers from Southern New Hampshire University and Geneo Savoca who joins the Mavericks from University at Albany.

Schoen will also rely on freshmen Kendall Gil, Dylan Ruland, Justin Parodi, Amare Carruthers, Noah Dromerhauser, Luke Esposito, Jose Ulloa, Marcus Fiallo, Aydan Wayne and Shane Driscoll.

Mercy is coming off a 22-13 win over Franklin Pierce on Sunday. The Mavericks were led by seniors Zach Ashline and Kolongi Goins who both had a game-high four RBI. Mercy has been led by Goins who is batting a team-high .538 with a team-high seven hits to go with four RBI. Sophomore Matthew Hesselbirg is second on the team hitting .500 and senior David Bernard Jr. is third with a .357 average. Bernard Jr. also has five RBI and a team-high eight walks. Junior Dylan Koch is hitting .300 with a team-high-tying five runs scored and Ashline has a team-high seven RBI with one home run. Ashline recorded his 100th career RBI against Goldey-Beacom on February 13th. Senior John Nisco has three RBI and a team-high-tying five runs scored. Nisco recorded his 100th career RBI against Franklin Pierce on February 15th. Sophomore Andre Jenkins leads the pitching staff with a 1-0 record with a 0.00 ERA in 6.0 innings with five strikeouts. Junior Nevin Scaperotti has made one start and is 0-0 with a 0.00 ERA and eight strikeouts in 7.0 innings. Scaperotti recorded his 100th career strikeout against Franklin Pierce on February 14th. Sophomore Ryan DiNapoli is 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA and three strikeouts in 7.0 innings. Senior Ryan Ehret has a team-high one save in 3.1 innings with a 0.00 ERA.

Mercy looks to start 4-1 for the first time since 1985. The Mavericks are 1-2 all-time against UNC Pembroke with the lone with coming in 2023. Goins was named ECC Player of the Week on Monday and DiNapoli was tabbed Pitcher of the Week. Freshman Dylan Ruland was named to the Honor Roll.

Scouting the Braves

UNC Pembroke is coming off a 10-6 win over Mount Olive on Saturday. The Braves were picked sixth in the Conference Carolinas Preseason Poll after going 28-22 last season, qualifying for the Conference Carolinas Tournament. UNC Pembroke has been led by Daniel Stephens who is batting a team-high .516 with a team-high 12 runs and 16 hits to go with seven RBI. Tyler Steele is batting .476 with seven RBI and Landon Lucas is batting .469 with a team-high 18 RBI, two home runs, five doubles and two triples. The pitching staff is led by Jacob Smith who has a team-best 1.69 ERA in 16.0 innings pitched with one win. Lucas has a 2.77 ERA in 13.0 innings with one win and Kasen McCawley has a team-high three wins with a 3.60 ERA in 15.0 innings.

Next Game

Mercy faces Post in Myrtle Beach on Friday, February 20th at 4:30 p.m.