DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. – Powered by six different Mavericks recording an RBI, the Mercy University Baseball Team earned a 6-5 win over ECC foe Queens College on Thursday afternoon at Mercy Field.
The Mavericks (24-21, 15-12 ECC) have won two games in a row and improve to 3-0 this season against the Knights (14-26, 9-18 ECC).
Queens scored two runs in the first inning to take a 2-0 lead.
Mercy scored a run in the third inning to make it 2-1. Sophomore Geneo Savoca (Albany, N.Y./University at Albany) and senior John Nisco (Tarrytown, N.Y./Sleepy Hollow) both singled with two outs before senior Zach Ashline (Colonie, N.Y./Colonie Central) singled home Savoca.
The Knights added a run in the sixth inning on a Nick Piazza RBI single to make it 3-1. Mercy responded with five runs in the bottom of the sixth to take a 6-3 lead. Ashline walked to lead off the inning, senior David Bernard Jr. (Schenectady, N.Y./Herkimer CC) singled and sophomore Matthew Hesselbirg (Port Jefferson Station, N.Y./Newfield) was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Senior Sean McAdams (Fairfield, Conn./Fairfield Ludlowe) later singled home Ashline to make it 3-2 and senior Kolongi Goins (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./FDR) drew a bases-loaded walk, scoring Bernard Jr. to tie the game at 3-3. After a pitching change, junior Dylan Koch (Yorktown Heights, N.Y./Pace University) reached on a fielder's choice, allowing Hesselbirg to score, giving Mercy a 4-3 lead. Savoca then drew a bases-loaded walk, scoring McAdams to make it 5-3. Nisco then singled home Goins to put Mercy up, 6-3.
Queens scored two runs in the eighth inning to make it 6-5. However, senior Samuel Gil (Bronx, N.Y./St. Bonaventure University) held the Knights scoreless for the final 1.2 innings and graduate student Alfred Hoti (New York, N.Y./Monsignor McClancy) threw out Christopher Naronis at second base to end the game, giving Mercy the 6-5 win.
Mercy was led by Koch who went 2-for-5 with an RBI and by Nisco who went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Savoca, Ashline and McAdams all went 1-for-3 with an RBI. Bernard Jr. and Hesselbirg both went 1-for-3 with a run and junior Nevin Scaperotti (Stormville, N.Y./Carmel) allowed three runs in 6.0 innings to earn his sixth win of the season, tying the single-season school record for wins. Gil struck out two in the final 1.2 innings to earn his fifth save of the season.
Queens was led by Piazza who went 2-for-4 with two RBI. Michael Vilardi allowed five earned runs in 5.1 innings to take the loss.
Mercy had nine hits and no errors and Queens had 10 hits and two errors.
Head Coach Chris Schoen and the Mavericks resume action tomorrow when they play at Queens for a doubleheader starting at 12 p.m.
