POMONA, N.Y. – Powered by a team-high four RBI on the day from seniors John Nisco (Tarrytown, N.Y./Sleepy Hollow) and Kolongi Goins (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./FDR) and junior Nevin Scaperotti (Stormville, N.Y./Carmel) and a home run from junior Kyle Engmann (Shoreham, N.Y./Shoreham-Wading River), the Mercy University Baseball Team earned a 21-19 win in game one before dropping an 8-2 decision in the nightcap at ECC foe St. Thomas Aquinas College on Sunday night at Clover Stadium.
The Mavericks (21-19, 12-10 ECC) win four of the six meetings against the Spartans (23-15, 12-10 ECC) this season.
Game 1: Mercy 21, STAC 19
Mercy took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. Junior Dylan Koch (Yorktown Heights, N.Y./Pace University) singled to lead off the game and later scored on a Nisco RBI single to make it 1-0. Senior David Bernard Jr. (Schenectady, N.Y./Herkimer CC) later singled home Nisco to make it 2-0. STAC scored three runs in the bottom of the first to take a 3-2 lead.
The Mavericks scored five runs in the second inning to take a 7-3 lead. Senior Sean McAdams (Fairfield, Conn./Fairfield Ludlowe) was hit by a pitch and Goins and Koch singled to load the bases. Scaperotti then doubled down the left field line, scoring McAdams, Goins and Koch to make it 5-3. Scaperotti later scored on a wild pitch to make it 6-3 and Bernard Jr. later singled home Nisco to give Mercy a 7-3 lead.
STAC scored a run in the third inning on a Nick Oelcher double to make it 7-4.
Mercy tacked on five runs in the fourth inning to take a 12-4 lead. Nisco singled and Bernard Jr. walked before graduate student Alfred Hoti (New York, N.Y./Monsignor McClancy) singled home Nisco to make it 8-4. McAdams later singled home Bernard Jr. to make it 9-4 and Goins recorded a three-run double to right center to put Mercy up, 12-4.
The Mavericks added four more runs in the fifth inning to take a 16-4 lead. Nisco and senior Zach Ashline (Colonie, N.Y./Colonie Central) led off the inning with walks and both stole a base before Hoti singled home Nisco and Ashline to make it 14-4. Engmann then homered to right field, scoring Hoti to give the Mavericks a 16-4 lead.
STAC scored two runs in the fifth and six runs in the sixth inning to make it 16-12.
Mercy responded with four runs in the seventh inning to take a 20-12 lead. McAdams doubled and later scored on a Scaperotti single to make it 17-12. Nisco later doubled home Koch and Scaperotti to make it 19-12 and Ashline doubled home Nisco to give Mercy a 20-12 lead.
The Mavericks made it 21-12 in the eighth inning. Engmann walked and McAdams singled before Goins hit a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Engmann. STAC scored seven runs in the bottom of the eighth to make it 21-19.
Senior Samuel Gil (Bronx, N.Y./St. Bonaventure University) pitched a scoreless ninth inning to close out the game-one win for Mercy.
Mercy was led by Scaperotti who went 2-for-6 with four RBI and by Goins who went 2-for-4 with four RBI. Nisco went 4-for-6 with five runs and three RBI and Hoti went 3-for-6 with three RBI and two runs. Bernard Jr. went 2-for-5 with two RBI and Engmann went 1-for-4 with his second home run of the season, two RBI and three runs. McAdams went 4-for-5 with three runs and one RBI and Ashline went 1-for-5 with one RBI. Koch went 2-for-5 with three runs and sophomore Geneo Savoca (Albany, N.Y./University at Albany) allowed six runs in 5.0 innings to earn his second win of the season in his first collegiate start. Gil pitched a scoreless inning of relief to earn his third save of the season. Gil set a new program record with his 11th career save as a Maverick. Gil surpasses the previous record of 10 saves set by Andrew Hernandez in 2021.
STAC was led by Oelcher and Michael Zeis who both went 4-for-5 with four RBI. Andrew Schoelles allowed seven runs in 2.0 innings to take the loss.
Mercy had 21 hits and no errors and STAC had 19 hits and two errors.
Game 2: STAC 8, Mercy 2
STAC scored three runs in the first inning to take a 3-0 lead.
The Mavericks scored a run in the second inning to make it 3-1. McAdams was hit by a pitch and Engmann walked before graduate student Connor Ruland (Islip, N.Y./Islip) singled home McAdams.
Mercy made it 3-2 in the third inning. Koch singled to lead off the inning and later scored on a Nisco RBI single.
STAC scored five runs in the bottom of the third, highlighted by a three-run home run by Tyler Haydt, to take an 8-2 lead.
Mercy was unable to score again, giving STAC the 8-2 game-two win.
Mercy was led by Nisco and Ruland who both went 1-for-3 with an RBI. Koch went 2-for-3 with a run. Sophomore Gordon Votruba (Wading River, N.Y./Shoreham-Wading River) allowed six earned runs in 3.0 innings to take the loss. Sophomore Tate Van Alstyne (Chatham, N.Y./Southern New Hampshire University) pitched 3.0 shutout innings of relief without allowing a hit.
STAC was led by Haydt who went 1-for-2 with three RBI. Sean Duke pitched 5.0 innings with one earned run allowed to earn the win.
Mercy had four hits and one error and STAC had nine hits and two errors.
Head Coach Chris Schoen and the Mavericks resume action on Thursday, April 23rd when they host Staten Island at 3 p.m.
