DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. – Powered by a walk-off RBI single in game two from sophomore Geneo Savoca (Albany, N.Y./University at Albany), the Mercy University Baseball Team dropped an 8-4 decision in game one before earning a 6-5 win in game two against D'Youville University in their ECC opener on Friday afternoon at Mercy Field.
The Mavericks (7-9, 1-1 ECC) snap a six-game losing streak with the game two win. The Saints (6-10, 1-1 ECC) open ECC play with a split.
Game 1: D'Youville 8, Mercy 4
Mercy took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Senior John Nisco (Tarrytown, N.Y./Sleepy Hollow) doubled and then scored on a senior Zach Ashline (Colonie, N.Y./Colonie Central) RBI single.
D'Youville scored three runs in the second inning to take a 3-1 lead.
The Saints added two more runs in the third inning on a Jacob Cooper two-run single to take a 5-1 lead.
Mercy got a run back in the bottom of the fifth after junior Dylan Koch (Yorktown Heights, N.Y./Pace University) reached on a fielder's choice, allowing graduate student Alfred Hoti (New York, N.Y./Monsignor McClancy) to score, to make it 5-2.
D'Youville recorded a run in the seventh inning on a Colby Wilson sacrifice fly to take a 6-2 lead.
The Mavericks scored two runs in the bottom of the inning to make it 6-4. Hoti was hit by a pitch and sophomore Matthew Hesselbirg (Port Jefferson Station, N.Y./Newfield) and senior Kolongi Goins (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./FDR) singled to load the bases. Koch then hit a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Hoti to make it 6-3. Sophomore Anthony Altobelli (Kings Park, N.Y./Kings Park) then singled home Hesselbirg to make it 6-4.
The Saints scored two runs in the top of the ninth to make it 8-4. Mercy could not score in the bottom of the ninth, giving D'Youville the 8-4 game one win.
Mercy was led by Hesselbirg who went 3-for-4 with a run and by Ashline who went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Altobelli went 1-for-5 with an RBI and Goins went 2-for-4. Hoti went 1-for-3 with two runs and senior Sean McAdams (Fairfield, Conn./Fairfield Ludlowe) went 1-for-4. Nisco went 1-for-5 and sophomore Andre Jenkins (Chester, N.Y./Chester Academy) allowed six runs in 7.0 innings to take the loss. Sophomore Owen Brink (Hyde Park, N.Y./FDR) pitched 0.2 scoreless innings of relief.
D'Youville was led by Blaise Kolbert and Cooper who both went 2-for-4 with two RBI. Billy Morris went 3-for-5 at the plate and pitched 6.1 innings with three earned runs allowed to earn the win. Mihir Manerikar pitched 2.2 scoreless innings of relief to earn the save.
Mercy had 11 hits and no errors and D'Youville had 12 hits and one error.
Game 2: Mercy 6, D'Youville 5
D'Youville took a 2-0 lead in the third inning on a two-run single by Jake Hollins. The Mavericks tied the game in the bottom of the third with two runs on no hits. Savoca recorded a sacrifice fly and Koch drove in the second run on a groundout to second base.
The Saints took the lead back in the fifth inning on a two-run double by Hollins, making it 4-2. The Mavericks scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth to take a 5-4 lead. Altobelli and Goins singled before Savoca walked to load the bases. Koch then singled home Altobelli to make it 4-3. Hoti drew a bases-loaded walk to bring home Goins, tying the game a 4-4. Hesselbirg then hit a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Savoca to give Mercy a 5-4 lead.
D'Youville tied the game at 5-5 in the top of the seventh on a Kolbert RBI single. The Mavericks won the game in the bottom of the seventh. Graduate student Connor Ruland (Islip, N.Y./Islip) was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and freshman Aydan Wayne (Howard Beach, N.Y./Channel View) pinch ran for Ruland. After Wayne stole second, Goins sacrificed Wayne to third. Savoca then hit a walk-off RBI single to center field, scoring Wayne to give Mercy the 6-5 game two win.
Mercy was led by Savoca who went 1-for-2 with two RBI and by Koch who went 1-for-3 with two RBI. Altobelli went 1-for-3 with two runs and Goins went 1-for-1. Junior Nevin Scaperotti (Stormville, N.Y./Carmel) pitched a complete game with five runs allowed and six strikeouts to earn his second win of the season.
D'Youville was led by Hollins who went 2-for-3 with four RBI. Kolbert allowed one run in 2.0 innings of relief to take the loss.
Mercy had four hits and no errors and D'Youville had eight hits and three errors.
Head Coach Chris Schoen and the Mavericks resume action tomorrow when they play a doubleheader at Queens starting at 12 p.m.
