PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. – Despite an RBI from senior David Bernard Jr. (Schenectady, N.Y./Herkimer CC), the Mercy University Baseball Team dropped 3-0 and 12-2 decisions at Pace University on Friday afternoon at Peter X. Finnerty Field.
The Mavericks (6-6) have dropped three games in a row and have lost eight straight games to the Setters (2-4).
Game 1: Pace 3, Mercy 0
Pace took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a Rocco Cimino home run.
The Setters tacked on two more runs in the second inning on a George Provel sacrifice fly and Justin Crispino RBI single, giving Pace a 3-0 lead.
The Mavericks were unable to score, giving the Setters the 3-0 game one win.
Mercy was led by senior John Nisco (Tarrytown, N.Y./Sleepy Hollow) and sophomore Matthew Hesselbirg (Port Jefferson Station, N.Y./Newfield) who both went 2-for-3. Sophomore Anthony Altobelli (Kings Park, N.Y./Kings Park) went 1-for-3 and sophomore Andre Jenkins (Chester, N.Y./Chester Academy) pitched a complete game with three earned runs allowed and six strikeouts to take the loss.
Pace was led by Cimino who went 1-for-3 with an RBI. Aidan Kempf pitched a complete game shutout with 10 strikeouts to earn the win.
Mercy had five hits and no errors and Pace had six hits and no errors.
Game 2: Pace 12, Mercy 2
Pace scored an unearned run in the second inning to take a 1-0 lead.
Mercy tied the score at 1-1 in the third inning. Bernard Jr. walked to lead off the inning and advanced to second after a graduate student Connor Ruland (Islip, N.Y./Islip) sacrifice. Bernard Jr. later scored after junior Dylan Koch (Yorktown Heights, N.Y./Pace University) reached on an error by the third baseman, tying the game.
Pace plated nine runs on five hits in the bottom of the third to take a 10-1 lead. Crispino hit a grand slam in the inning and Cimino also homered.
The Setters scored two more runs in the fifth inning on a two-run double by Nick Carlucci, increasing their lead to 12-1.
Mercy recorded a run in the sixth inning to make it 12-2. Hesselbirg was hit by a pitch and scored on a Bernard Jr. triple down the right field line.
The Mavericks were unable to score again, and the Setters came away with the 12-2 game two win.
Mercy was led by Bernard Jr. who went 1-for-2 with an RBI and by Hesselbirg and Ruland who both went 1-for-2. Junior Nevin Scaperotti (Stormville, N.Y./Carmel) went 1-for-3 and sophomore Ryan DiNapoli (Yorktown Heights, N.Y./Yorktown) allowed seven earned runs in 2.2 innings to take the loss in his first collegiate start. Senior Diego Wirz (Stamford, Conn./Stamford) and sophomore Chase de Castro (Rutland, Vt./Rutland) both tossed a scoreless inning of relief.
Pace was led by Crispino who went 1-for-2 with four RBI. Cristian Rodriguez allowed no earned runs in 4.0 innings to earn the win. Ryan Degnan allowed one run in the final 3.0 innings to record the save.
Mercy had four hits and two errors and Pace had 10 hits and one error.
Head Coach Chris Schoen and the Mavericks resume action on Sunday, March 8th when they host Pace for a doubleheader starting at 12 p.m.
