FLUSHING, N.Y. – Powered by senior Zach Ashline (Colonie, N.Y./Colonie Central) setting a new program record for career home runs, the Mercy University Baseball Team earned a 7-6 win in game one before dropping an 11-4 decision in game two at ECC foe Queens College on Friday afternoon at Hennekens Stadium.
The Mavericks (25-22, 16-13 ECC) have won four of the first five meetings against the Knights (15-27, 10-19 ECC) this season.
Game 1: Mercy 7, Queens 6
Mercy took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. Junior Dylan Koch (Yorktown Heights, N.Y./Pace University) doubled and junior Nevin Scaperotti (Stormville, N.Y./Carmel) singled to put runners on first and third. Koch then scored on a balk. Queens tied the game at 1-1 with a run in the bottom of the first.
The Mavericks retook the lead with three runs in the second inning, building a 4-1 lead. Senior Sean McAdams (Fairfield, Conn./Fairfield Ludlowe) led off the inning with a double and senior Kolongi Goins (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./FDR) later singled to put runners on first and second with two outs. Koch then singled home McAdams to make it 2-1 and Scaperotti doubled home Goins and Koch to put Mercy up, 4-1.
Queens scored two runs in the third inning on a Vincent Mallon home run to make it 4-3.
Mercy made it 6-3 in the fifth inning. Senior John Nisco (Tarrytown, N.Y./Sleepy Hollow) singled with two outs and stole second before Ashline homered, giving the Mavericks a 6-3 lead.
The Knights made it 6-4 in the bottom of the fifth on a Mallon lead off home run.
Queens added a run in the sixth inning to make it 6-5.
Mercy got an insurance run in the seventh inning when Koch homered to left field to make it 7-5.
Queens made it 7-6 in the eighth inning on a John Harkins home run.
Sophomore Derek Fernandez (Bronx, N.Y./Mount St. Michael Academy) recorded the final six outs without allowing a run to give Mercy the 7-6 game-one win.
Mercy was led by Ashline who went 1-for-4 with his fifth home run of the season and two RBI. Ashline now has a program-record 26 career home runs, surpassing the previous record of 25 home runs set by Matt Foley in 2003. Koch went 3-for-5 with his fourth home run of the season, three runs and two RBI. Scaperotti went 2-for-4 with two RBI and Goins went 1-for-3. Nisco and McAdams both went 1-for-4. Sophomore Andre Jenkins (Chester, N.Y./Chester Academy) allowed five runs in 5.2 innings to earn his fifth win of the season. Fernandez recorded his first career save.
Queens was led by Mallon who went 3-for-3 with two home runs and three RBI. Severino Napolitano Jr. allowed six runs in 6.1 innings to take the loss.
Mercy had nine hits and no errors and Queens had 10 hits and no errors.
Game 2: Queens 11, Mercy 4
Mercy took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. Nisco doubled with two outs and scored on an Ashline single up the middle. Queens tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the first on a Joshua Angely single.
The Mavericks scored two runs in the third inning to take a 3-1 lead. Nisco singled with two outs and scored on an Ashline double to make it 2-1. Sophomore Matthew Hesselbirg (Port Jefferson Station, N.Y./Newfield) then singled home Ashline to make it 3-1.
Queens tied the game at 3-3 in the fifth inning on a John Harkins two-run home run.
Mercy retook the lead with a run in the sixth inning. Hesselbirg was hit by a pitch and senior David Bernard Jr. (Schenectady, N.Y./Herkimer CC) singled before McAdams doubled home Hesselbirg to make it 4-3.
Queens scored eight runs on nine hits in the bottom of the sixth to take an 11-4 lead.
Mercy was unable to score in the seventh inning, giving the Knights an 11-4 game-two win.
Mercy was led by Ashline who went 3-for-4 with two RBI and by McAdams who went 1-for-3 with an RBI. Hesselbirg went 1-for-1 with an RBI and Koch went 2-for-3. Scaperotti went 1-for-4 and Nisco went 2-for-4 with two runs. Bernard Jr. went 1-for-3 and sophomore Geneo Savoca (Albany, N.Y./University at Albany) allowed seven runs in 5.1 innings to take the loss.
Queens was led by Angely who went 3-for-4 with three RBI. Christopher Naronis allowed four runs in a complete game to earn the win.
Mercy had 11 hits and two errors and Queens had 14 hits and no errors.
Head Coach Chris Schoen and the Mavericks resume action tomorrow when they host Queens at 3 p.m. with Senior Day at 2 p.m.
