DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. – Powered by a walk-off RBI single from senior Sean McAdams (Fairfield, Conn./Fairfield Ludlowe) in game two and a team-high four RBI and a home run from senior David Bernard Jr. (Schenectady, N.Y./Herkimer CC), the Mercy University Baseball Team dropped an 8-7 decision in game one before earning a 9-8 win in 10 innings in the nightcap against ECC foe St. Thomas Aquinas College on Friday afternoon at Mercy Field.
The Mavericks (20-18, 11-9 ECC) snap a five-game losing streak with the game two win and have won three of the first four meetings against the Spartans (22-14, 11-9 ECC) this season. Mercy now has 20 wins in a season for the sixth time under Head Coach Chris Schoen.
Game 1: STAC 8, Mercy 7
STAC took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on an Anthony Dimarco home run. Mercy tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the inning. Sophomore Geneo Savoca (Albany, N.Y./University at Albany) reached on a fielder's choice and senior John Nisco (Tarrytown, N.Y./Sleepy Hollow) singled to put runners on first and third. Senior Zach Ashline (Colonie, N.Y./Colonie Central) then reached on a fielder's choice, allowing Savoca to score the tying run.
The Spartans took a 3-1 lead in the third inning on a C.J. Cumbo two-run home run.
Mercy got a run back in the fourth inning to make it 3-2. Sophomore Anthony Altobelli (Kings Park, N.Y./Kings Park) reached on an error and senior Kolongi Goins (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./FDR) singled before junior Dylan Koch (Yorktown Heights, N.Y./Pace University) singled home Altobelli to make it 3-2.
STAC scored four runs in the eighth inning to take a 7-2 lead. The Mavericks responded with four runs in the bottom of the eighth to make it 7-6. Ashline and sophomore Matthew Hesselbirg (Port Jefferson Station, N.Y./Newfield) singled before Bernard Jr. recorded a pinch-hit RBI single, scoring Ashline to make it 7-3. Junior Kyle Engmann (Shoreham, N.Y./Shoreham-Wading River) later hit a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Hesselbirg to make it 7-4. Koch then singled home Bernard Jr. and graduate student Alfred Hoti (New York, N.Y./Monsignor McClancy) to make it 7-6.
The Spartans made it 8-6 in the ninth inning on a Michael Zeis RBI single. Mercy made it 8-7 in the bottom of the ninth. Ashline singled and advanced to second on a wild pitch before scoring on a Bernard Jr. RBI single to make it 8-7. A strikeout and fly out ended the game with the tying run on second.
Mercy was led by Koch who went 4-for-5 with three RBI and by Bernard Jr. who went 2-for-2 with two RBI. Ashline went 2-for-5 with an RBI and Nisco went 2-for-5. Hesselbirg went 1-for-5 and Goins went 1-for-2. Junior Nevin Scaperotti (Stormville, N.Y./Carmel) allowed five earned runs in 7.0 innings to take the loss.
STAC was led by Cumbo who went 2-for-4 with two RBI. William Fleck allowed two runs in 3.1 innings to earn the win. James Garcia pitched 1.1 innings of relief to earn the save.
Mercy had 12 hits and one error and STAC had 13 hits and two errors.
Game 2: Mercy 9, STAC 8 (10 Innings)
STAC took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first on a Cumbo two-run home run.
Mercy scored three runs in the second inning to take a 3-2 lead. Bernard Jr. led off the inning with a home run to left center, making it 2-1. McAdams walked before Engmann tripled to left center, scoring McAdams to make it 2-2. Goins later hit a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Engmann to give Mercy a 3-2 lead.
STAC tied the game at 3-3 in the third on a Dimarco solo home run.
Mercy took a 6-3 lead in the fourth inning. Graduate student Connor Ruland (Islip, N.Y./Islip) walked and Goins singled before Savoca hit a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Ruland to make it 4-3. Scaperotti then singled home Goins to make it 5-3 and Bernard Jr. later singled home Scaperotti to put Mercy up, 6-3.
The Mavericks added a run in the sixth inning to make it 7-3. Nisco singled to lead off the inning and later scored on a wild pitch.
STAC scored four runs in the seventh inning to tie the game at 7-7. Mercy regained the lead in the bottom of the seventh. Goins singled and later scored after a STAC error after Scaperotti reached on a fielder's choice to make it 8-7.
The Spartans tied the game at 8-8 in the ninth inning on a Dimarco RBI single.
After a groundout to lead off the bottom of the 10th made one out, Nisco reached on an error by the pitcher and advanced to second on a passed ball. Freshman Noah Dromerhauser (Hollywood, Fla./Chaminade Madonna College Prep) then grounded out to third, advancing Nisco to third. Bernard Jr. was then hit by a pitch to put runners on first and third with two outs. McAdams then singled through the left side, scoring Nisco, to give Mercy the 9-8 walk-off win in game two.
Mercy was led by Bernard Jr. who went 2-for-5 with his second home run of the season and two RBI. Scaperotti went 3-for-6 with an RBI and Nisco went 3-for-6 with two runs. McAdams went 1-for-4 with an RBI and Engmann went 2-for-5 with an RBI. Goins went 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI and sophomore Andre Jenkins (Chester, N.Y./Chester Academy) allowed six earned runs and recorded seven strikeouts in 6.2 innings to earn a no-decision. Freshman Dylan Ruland (Islip, N.Y./Islip) pitched 1.2 scoreless innings of relief to earn his third win of the season.
STAC was led by Cumbo who went 2-for-4 with a home run and four RBI. Christian Simonsen allowed an unearned run in 3.0 innings to take the loss.
Mercy had 13 hits and two errors and STAC had 10 hits and three errors.
Head Coach Chris Schoen and the Mavericks resume action on Sunday, April 19th when they play at STAC for a doubleheader starting at 5 p.m.
