DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. – Powered by a team-high three RBI and four hits from junior Dylan Koch (Yorktown Heights, N.Y./Pace University), the Mercy University Baseball Team overcame a nine-run deficit in the seventh inning to earn a 13-11 come-from-behind Senior Day win over ECC foe Queens College on Saturday afternoon at Mercy Field.
In a ceremony prior to the game, seniors Sean McAdams (Fairfield, Conn./Fairfield Ludlowe), John Nisco (Tarrytown, N.Y./Sleepy Hollow), Ryan Ehret (Broad Channel, N.Y./Monsignor McClancy), Zach Ashline (Colonie, N.Y./Colonie Central), Kolongi Goins (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./FDR), Jack Sullivan (Orlando, Fla./Allegany College of Maryland), David Bernard Jr. (Schenectady, N.Y./Herkimer CC), Anthony Dolce (North Salem, N.Y./Westchester CC), Samuel Gil (Bronx, N.Y./St. Bonaventure University) and Diego Wirz (Stamford, Conn./Stamford) were honored for their contributions to the program.
The Mavericks (26-22, 17-13 ECC) win five of the six meetings against the Knights (15-28, 10-20 ECC) this season. Mercy ends the season in solo second place in the ECC standings for the first time. The Mavericks have secured the No. 2 seed in next week's ECC Championship and will face No. 3 seed St. Thomas Aquinas in their first game of the championship on Thursday, May 7th at the Mitchel Athletic Complex in Uniondale, New York.
Mercy took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Koch led off the inning with a double and later scored on a Nisco single.
Queens scored three runs in the second inning and five runs in the fourth inning to take an 8-1 lead. Mercy made it 8-2 in the bottom of the fourth. Ashline tripled to lead off the inning and scored on a sophomore Geneo Savoca (Albany, N.Y./University at Albany) sacrifice fly.
The Knights added two runs in the sixth and a run in the seventh to take an 11-2 lead. The Mavericks started their comeback in the bottom of the seventh, scoring two runs to make it 11-4. Bernard Jr. singled to lead off the inning and sophomore Matthew Hesselbirg (Port Jefferson Station, N.Y./Newfield) pinch ran for him. Dolce then singled to left field and Hesselbirg scored following an error by the left fielder, making it 11-3. Koch later singled home Dolce to make it 11-4.
After a scoreless top of the eighth, Mercy exploded for nine runs on three hits to take a 13-11 lead. Sophomores Kyle Engmann (Shoreham, N.Y./Shoreham-Wading River), Tate Van Alstyne (Chatham, N.Y./Southern New Hampshire University) and Anthony Altobelli (Kings Park, N.Y./Kings Park) walked to load the bases with one out. Hesselbirg then singled home Engmann and Van Alstyne to make it 11-6. Dolce walked to load the bases again before freshman Noah Dromerhauser (Hollywood, Fla./Chaminade Madonna College Prep) drew a bases-loaded walk to make it 11-7. Koch then doubled home Hesselbirg and Dolce to make it 11-9. Engmann later was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, scoring Dromerhauser to make it 11-10. Freshman Amare Carruthers (Bronx, N.Y./Putnam Science Academy) later tied the game at 11-11 after reaching on a fielder's choice, allowing Koch to score. Van Alstyne then singled home Engmann to give Mercy a 12-11 lead and Carruthers later scored on a wild pitch to make it 13-11.
Sophomore Nicholas Stella (Wading River, N.Y./Shoreham-Wading River) pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning to close out the 13-11 come-from-behind Senior Day win.
Mercy was led by Koch who went 4-for-5 with three RBI and two runs. Hesselbirg went 1-for-2 with two RBI and Nisco went 2-for-3 with an RBI. Van Alstyne went 1-for-1 with an RBI and Ashline went 2-for-3. McAdams went 1-for-3 and Dolce went 1-for-3 with two runs. Bernard Jr. went 1-for-3 and Wirz pitched 2.0 innings with three runs allowed and three strikeouts to take a no-decision. Sophomore Omar Giret (New Fairfield, Conn./Kennedy Catholic Prep) allowed no earned runs in 2.2 innings of relief to earn his first collegiate win. Stella pitched a scoreless ninth inning to earn his first collegiate save.
Queens was led by Vincent Mallon who went 1-for-3 with four RBI. Dominick Persichilli allowed two runs to take the loss.
Mercy had 13 hits and one error and Queens had eight hits and one error.
