Mavericks Split at Southeastern; Nipped in Game One 6-4, Outlast Fire 8-7 in Extras
Baseball Result
Saturday, March 21,
2009
Mavericks Split at Southeastern; Nipped in Game One 6-4, Outlast
Fire 8-7 in Extras
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Steve Marsar |
Gm 1 Box Score | Gm 2 Box Score
LAKELAND, FL - After a three week layoff, the Mercy College baseball team split a doubleheader at Southeastern University, the four-time defending National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) Division II National Champions on Saturday. The Mavericks (4-2) were nipped 6-4 in the opener, but bounced back to outlast the Fire 8-7 in a scheduled seven-inning game two which went 11 innings.
Senior Chris Pannullo (Dix Hills, NY) went 5-for-8 on the day with a double and one run batted in. Sophomore Matt Walsh (Staten Island, NY) was 4-for-7 with a double, a triple, and two runs batted in. Junior Michael Grassano (Valley Stream, NY) went 3-for-5 with a double, his first collegiate home run, and three runs batted in. Junior Kenny Tyson (Miami, FL) had a 3-for-4 performance in game two with two runs driven in.
Sophomore right-hander Steve Marsar (Seaford, NY) notched the victory in game two with two innings of relief, striking out four, and also drove in the game-winning run. Junior Steve Merslich (Flushing, NY) took a no-hitter into the seventh inning. He finished with 6 1/3 innings of two-hit ball, fanning four in a no-decision.
The Mavericks opened up game two with a run in the top of the first on a Tyson base hit. With Merslich putting up zeros, Mercy added two runs in the sixth to build a 3-0 lead. Grassano plated the first with a bases loaded walk and junior Marc Dern (Valley Stream, NY) knocked in the second with a sacrifice fly.
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Chris Pannullo |
Merslich got the first out in the seventh, but walked the next batter and then had the no-hitter broken up when Kyle Petrick poked a single to center field. After a hit batter loaded the bases, Merslich gave way to Walsh in relief. The Fire cut the deficit to 3-2 on a two-run single off the bat of Edwin McPhee and tied the contest at 3-3 on a suicide squeeze bunt. Walsh got the next two outs on an illegal substitution and a fielder's choice to send the game into extra innings.
The two teams traded single runs in the eighth and two runs each in the tenth, bringing the score to 6-6. Mercy rallied again in the 11th frame when Tesoriero reached on an error with one out. Walsh followed with a triple to make it 7-6 and after a pair of intentional walks to load the bases, Marsar's infield ground out pushed the lead to 8-6.
Marsar, who had come on in relief in the 10th, gave up an RBI single with one out in the bottom of the 11th, but struck out the two final batters to end the game.
In the opener, Southeastern took a 2-0 lead in the third inning, but the Mavericks answered with two runs in the fourth on Grassano's blast over the left field fence.
Walsh gave Mercy a 3-2 lead in the top of the fifth with an RBI double, but Southeastern responded with two runs in the bottom of the inning to regain the lead at 4-3. The Fire added two more in the seventh and took the 6-3 lead into the ninth.
The Mavericks rallied in the ninth with one out. Sophomore Graig Lauricella (North Massapequa, NY) was hit by a pitch, followed by singles from sophomore Mike Ferrante (Long Beach, NY) and Walsh to load the bases. Pannullo delivered a single to right field to score one, but Gabe Grinder got a double play ball to close it out.
Mercy College will return to action on Monday, March 23 with a 10 a.m. game versus Mt. Vernon Nazarene, followed by a 1:00 p.m. contest versus Tennessee Temple. Both games will be played at Southeastern University.
