MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – Powered by home runs from sophomore Anthony Altobelli (Kings Park, N.Y./Kings Park) and seniors John Nisco (Tarrytown, N.Y./Sleepy Hollow) and David Bernard Jr. (Schenectady, N.Y./Herkimer CC), the Mercy University Baseball Team earned a 13-11 win over RV Bentley University on Sunday afternoon.
The Mavericks (5-3) win two out of three games in Myrtle Beach and defeat the Falcons (3-4) for the first time. Mercy starts 5-3 for the second straight year.
The game remained scoreless until the second inning when Bentley scored two runs to take a 2-0 lead.
Mercy answered with a run in the third inning to make it 2-1. Senior Kolongi Goins (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./FDR) singled and later scored on a junior Nevin Scaperotti (Stormville, N.Y./Carmel) RBI single. The Falcons tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the third to take a 4-1 lead.
The Mavericks recorded a run in the fourth inning to make it 4-2. Nisco tripled and scored on a Bernard Jr. sacrifice fly.
Mercy scored three runs in the fifth inning to take a 5-4 lead. Altobelli singled and Scaperotti doubled to lead off the inning. Zach Ashline (Colonie, N.Y./Colonie Central) then grounded out, allowing Altobelli to score to make it 4-3. Nisco then hit a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Scaperotti to tie the game at 4-4. Graduate student Alfred Hoti (New York, N.Y./Monsignor McClancy) later singled home Bernard Jr. to give Mercy a 5-4 lead. The Falcons retook the lead with two runs in the bottom of the inning, taking a 6-5 lead.
Bentley scored a run in the sixth inning to take a 7-5 lead.
The Mavericks exploded for four runs in the seventh inning to take a 9-7 lead. Nisco reached on an error and scored after Bernard Jr. reached on an error, making it 7-6. Sophomore Matthew Hesselbirg (Port Jefferson Station, N.Y./Newfield) then singled home Bernard Jr. to make it 7-7. Hoti tripled to right field, scoring Hesselbirg to give Mercy an 8-7 lead. Goins then hit a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Hoti to put the Mavericks up 9-7. The Falcons scored a run in the seventh inning to make it 9-8.
Mercy scored four runs in the eighth inning to take a 13-8 lead. Altobelli led off the inning with his first collegiate home run to make it 10-8. Nisco later hit a two-run home run to right field, scoring freshman Aydan Wayne (Howard Beach, N.Y./Channel View), giving Mercy a 12-8 lead. Bernard Jr. then gave Mercy back-to-back home runs and a 13-8 advantage. The Falcons scored three runs in the bottom of the eighth to make it 13-11.
Senior Samuel Gil (Bronx, N.Y./St. Bonaventure University) pitched a scoreless ninth inning, giving Mercy the 13-11 win.
Mercy was led by Altobelli who went 4-for-6 with his first collegiate home run and one RBI. Nisco went 3-for-4 with three RBI and his first home run of the season and Bernard Jr. went 1-for-4 with two RBI and his first home run of the season. Hesselbirg went 3-for-4 with an RBI and Hoti went 3-for-5 with two RBI. Goins went 1-for-3 with an RBI and Scaperotti went 2-for-6 with an RBI. Sophomore Gordon Votruba (Wading River, N.Y./Shoreham Wading River) made the start on the mound and pitched 2.1 innings with four runs allowed to earn a no-decision. Sophomore Geneo Savoca (Albany, N.Y./University at Albany) pitched 4.0 innings of relief with two earned runs allowed to earn his first win of the season. Gil pitched 2.0 scoreless innings of relief to earn his second save of the year.
Bentley was led by Jimmy Mitchell who went 3-for-4 with three RBI. Evan McCarthy allowed four earned runs in 2.1 innings to take the loss.
Mercy had 17 hits and one error and Bentley had 14 hits and three errors.
Head Coach Chris Schoen and the Mavericks resume action on Saturday, February 28th when they play at Southern Connecticut State at 12 p.m.
