NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. – Powered by senior Zach Ashline (Colonie, N.Y./Colonie Central) hitting for the cycle, the Mercy University Baseball Team earned a 19-5 win at ECC foe D'Youville University on Sunday afternoon at Sal Maglie Stadium.
The Mavericks (14-13, 8-4 ECC) win three out of the four games against the Saints (9-17, 4-8 ECC) this weekend.
D'Youville took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first on one hit.
The Mavericks bounced back with four runs in the top of the second to take a 4-2 lead. Ashline singled and junior Nevin Scaperotti (Stormville, N.Y./Carmel) doubled before sophomore Anthony Altobelli (Kings Park, N.Y./Kings Park) singled home Ashline to make it 2-1. Sophomore Matthew Hesselbirg (Port Jefferson Station, N.Y./Newfield) then hit a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Scaperotti to make it 2-2. Senior Kolongi Goins (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./FDR) later singled home Altobelli to give Mercy a 3-2 lead. Junior Dylan Koch (Yorktown Heights, N.Y./Pace University) then singled home Goins to make it 4-2.
Mercy added two runs in the third inning to take a 6-2 lead. Ashline, Scaperotti and Altobelli singled to load the bases before Ashline scored on a passed ball to make it 5-2. Scaperotti later scored on a wild pitch to give the Mavericks a 6-2 lead.
The Mavericks added a run in the fourth inning when Ashline recorded an RBI triple to take a 7-2 lead.
D'Youville scored two runs in the fifth inning to make it 7-4.
Mercy exploded for six runs in the sixth inning to take a 13-4 lead. Sophomore Geneo Savoca (Albany, N.Y./University at Albany) reached on an error and senior John Nisco (Tarrytown, N.Y./Sleepy Hollow) doubled before Ashline homered to give Mercy a 10-4 lead. Scaperotti singled, Altobelli walked and Hesselbirg singled to load the bases. Graduate student Alfred Hoti (New York, N.Y./Monsignor McClancy) then reached on an error, allowing Scaperotti and Altobelli to score to make it 12-4. Hesselbirg later scored after a double play to make it 13-4.
The Mavericks scored two more runs in the seventh inning to take a 15-4 lead. Savoca walked and Nisco doubled to lead off the inning before Scaperotti hit a two-run double.
Mercy tacked on a run in the eighth inning to make it 16-4. Freshman Noah Dromerhauser (Hollywood, Fla./Chaminade Madonna College Prep) walked and later scored on a wild pitch. D'Youville scored a run in the bottom of the eighth to make it 16-5.
The Mavericks produced three runs in the top of the ninth to take a 19-5 lead. Ashline doubled to lead off the inning and freshman Amare Carruthers (Bronx, N.Y./Putnam Science Academy) pinch ran for Ashline. Scaperotti then singled home Carruthers to make it 17-5. Senior Anthony Dolce (North Salem, N.Y./Westchester CC) later hit a two-run home run to put the Mavericks up, 19-5.
Sophomore Omar Giret (New Fairfield, Conn./Kennedy Catholic Prep) pitched a scoreless bottom of the ninth to give Mercy the 19-5 win.
Mercy was led by Ashline who went 5-for-6 with his third home run of the season, two singles, a double, a triple, four RBI and three runs. Scaperotti went 5-for-6 with three RBI and three runs and Dolce went 1-for-1 with his first home run of the season and two RBI. Goins went 2-for-4 with an RBI and Altobelli went 2-for-5 with an RBI and three runs. Hesselbirg went 1-for-3 with an RBI and Hoti went 1-for-5 with two RBI. Nisco went 2-for-5 with two runs and Koch went 1-for-5 with an RBI. Savoca scored three runs and pitched 2.0 scoreless innings of relief. Sophomore Gordon Votruba (Wading River, N.Y./Shoreham-Wading River) allowed three earned runs in 5.0 innings with two strikeouts to earn his second win of the season. Giret recorded three strikeouts in a scoreless inning of relief.
D'Youville was led by Jake Hollins and Anthony Consiglio who both went 1-for-3 with an RBI. Billy Morris allowed five earned runs in 5.0 innings to take the loss.
Mercy had 20 hits and two errors and D'Youville had five hits and four errors.
Head Coach Chris Schoen and the Mavericks resume action on Friday, April 3rd when they host Staten Island for a doubleheader starting at 12 p.m.
