St. Thomas Aquinas College Holds Off Mercy Baseball, 2-1, and 6-3
DOBBS FERRY, NY - The Mercy College baseball team rallied in both ends of a doubleheader versus St. Thomas Aquinas College on Saturday, April 15, but fell short 2-1, and 6-3. The Flyers dropped to 5-21 overall and 3-11 in New York Collegiate Athletic Conference (NYCAC) action. The Spartans improved to 16-13 overall and 9-5 in league play.
After two scoreless innings in the opener, St. Thomas Aquinas broke through in the top of the third, getting a run-scoring single from third baseman John Muller (Clifton Park, NY).
The game remained a pitchers duel between Mercy's Matt Anzivino (Miami, FL) and Tom Haslacher (Pawleys Island, SC) of St. Thomas Aquinas, but the Spartans struck for another run in the eighth on another run-scoring single from Muller to take a 2-0 edge.
Mercy finally reached Haslacher in the bottom of the ninth as freshman second baseman Ryan Johnson (Saugerties, NY) connected for a sole home run with one out to cut the deficit to 2-1. The Flyers then loaded the bases, but Jonathan Della Monica (Nanuet, NY) came in to close the game out.
Anzivino took the loss despite allowing just two earned runs. Junior short stop Craig Ross (Bellmore, NY) went 2-for-4 for the Flyers. Haslacher earned the win for St. Thomas Aquinas, striking out four and scattering six hits.
Game two started off in similar fashion to the first, with the Spartans posting two unearned runs in the third this time to take a 2-0 lead. St. Thomas Aquinas then stretched the lead to 5-0 in the fourth, getting a three-run home run off the bat of Javier Diaz (Dobson, NC).
Ross led off the bottom of the fourth with a base hit for Mercy and junior third baseman Steve Summer (East Meadow, NY) followed with a double to plate him and cut the deficit to 5-1.
Mercy rallied again in the bottom of the sixth as Summer stroked his second double of the game with one out. After he advanced to third on a wild pitch, junior left fielder Joe Mercado (Orlando, FL) placed a single to left, knocking in Summer. Senior first baseman Joe DeMuria (Islip, NY) followed with a base hit to right field and Johnson plated another run with a double down the left field line, cutting the deficit to 5-3.
Mercy would pull no closer as St. Thomas Aquinas got the run back in the top of the seventh on a solo home run by James Feerick (Walden, NY) and Michael Pasch (Montvale, NJ) shut the door in the bottom of the frame.
Senior Tony Barcelo (Hialeah, FL) gave a strong effort on the mound for Mercy, allowing three earned runs in 5.1 innings pitched. Summers and Johnson each finished the day 3-for-7. Chris Skrypeck (New City, NY) earned the win for St. Thomas Aquinas.
Mercy and St. Thomas Aquinas College will meet again on Monday, April 17, for a single nine-inning game, at St. Thomas Aquinas.
