DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. – The Mercy University Baseball Team faces Post University on Friday, February 20th for a doubleheader starting at 4:30 p.m. in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The Mavericks will then face Felician University at 2 p.m. on Saturday, February 21st before concluding their southern trip with a game against Bentley University on Sunday, February 22nd at 12:30 p.m.
Who, When and Where
Date/Time: Friday, February 20th 4:30 & 7:30 p.m.
Records: Mercy (3-2), Post (0-3)
Location: Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Date/Time: Saturday, February 21st 2 p.m.
Records: Mercy (3-2), #17 Felician (1-3)
Location: Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Date/Time: Sunday, February 22nd 12:30 p.m.
Records: Mercy (3-2), RV Bentley (1-2)
Location: Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Last Meeting vs. Post
Mercy earned an 11-6 win over Post on February 21, 2025.
Last Meeting vs. Felician
Felician earned a 9-6 win over Mercy on February 23, 2024.
Last Meeting vs. Bentley
Bentley earned a 9-1 win over Mercy on February 23, 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 13-9 loss at RV UNC Pembroke on Tuesday. The Mavericks were led by junior Dylan Koch who hit a three-run home run. Mercy has been led by senior Kolongi Goins who is batting a team-high .529 with a team-high nine hits to go with five RBI. Sophomore Matthew Hesselbirg is second on the team hitting .500 and senior David Bernard Jr. is four with a .294 average. Bernard Jr. also has five RBI and a team-high 10 walks. Junior Dylan Koch is hitting .269 with a team-high-tying six runs scored to go with five RBI, six stolen bases and one home run and senior Zach 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 six 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 4-2 for the first time since 2009. The Mavericks are 2-3 in their last five meetings against Post. Mercy is 1-11 in their last 12 meetings against Felician and have dropped the last nine meetings. The Mavericks are 0-2 in their last two meetings against Bentley. 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 Eagles
Post is coming off a 9-0 loss to Tampa on Sunday. The Eagles will face Franklin Pierce on Thursday in Myrtle Beach before facing Mercy on Friday. Post was picked sixth in the CACC Preseason Poll after going 26-25 last season, qualifying for the CACC Championship. The Eagles have been led by Manny Contreras and Hunter Keller who are batting a team-high .250. Evan Cornwell and Evan Urglavitch have a team-high two RBI. Sebastian Velasquez has a team-best 2.25 ERA in 4.0 innings with two strikeouts and Harby Valera has a 4.50 ERA in 4.0 innings.
Scouting the Golden Falcons
Felician is coming off a 13-5 win over Millersville on Sunday. The Golden Falcons will face Southern New Hampshire on Thursday and Adelphi on Friday before taking on Mercy on Saturday. Felician is currently ranked No. 17 nationally in the NCBWA poll and is ranked No. 1 in the NCBWA East Region poll. The Golden Falcons were picked first in the CACC Preseason Poll after going 43-22 last season, qualifying for the NCAA Tournament and advancing to the College World Series. Felician has been led by Neisser Sanchez who is batting a team-high .583 with a team-high seven RBI and two home runs. Jose David Medrano is hitting .571 with two RBI and Haiden Walters has a team-high four runs scored. The pitching staff is led by Andrew Gendi who has a team-best 5.79 ERA and 1-0 record with seven strikeouts in 4.2 innings.
Scouting the Falcons
Bentley is coming off a 1-0 loss at Palm Beach Atlantic on February 8th. The Falcons are receiving votes nationally in the NCBWA Top 25 poll. Bentley will face St. Thomas Aquinas on Friday and Bridgeport on Saturday before facing Mercy on Sunday. The Falcons were picked first in the NE10 Preseason Poll after going 33-15 last season, qualifying for the NE10 Championship. Bentley is ranked No. 3 in the NCBWA East Region poll. The Falcons have been led by David VanderZouwen who is batting a team-high .400 with three RBI and two doubles. Brian Hersh is second on the team with a .375 average and Jared Berardino has a team-high six RBI with a home run. The pitching staff is led by Zach Eigenbrod and Sam Belliveau who both have a 2.25 ERA. Pat Heber has a 4.50 ERA and has pitched a team-high 6.0 innings with six strikeouts.
Next Game
Mercy plays at Southern Connecticut State on Saturday, February 28th at 12 p.m.
