The Misericordia University baseball team did it the hard way again.

The Cougars scored five runs in the bottom of the eighth to beat DeSales, 9-5, Sunday at Quakertown's Memorial Park to win their third straight Freedom Conference title.

For the second straight season, MU dropped its Freedom Tournament opener, but rallied to win four straight games to claim the Freedom Championship and an automatic berth in the NCAA Championships.

Trailing 5-4 entering the bottom of the eighth, Misericordia's Steve Sulcoski drew a lead-off and Kenny Durling lined a single to center.  After pinch-runner Jim Tunison used a delayed steal to swipe third, Julian Faria blooped a single to short right center to tie the score.  Ryan Cacchioli followed with a single to right to give the Cougars a 6-5 lead and everyone moved up when the ball was bobbled in the outfield.

Joe Tagliarini drew a four-pitch walk and Mike Impellittiere made it 7-5 with an RBI-walk.  After DeSales cut down to runners at the plate, Tressa lined a two-run single to center and pinch-runner Will Minderjahn was out at the plate to end the inning.

With Evan Robaczewski on to pitch for MU in the eighth, the Bulldogs took a 5-4 lead without the benefit of a hit.  After two quick strikeouts, Evan Fraser drew a four-pitch walk and moved to second on a passed ball before racing home when Drew Borger reached on an infield error.

Tressa had three hits, including the 200th of his career, and drove in three runs to lead the MU offense.  Julian Faria had two hits and drove in three runs.

Misericordia freshman left fielder Kyle Lindsay was named Tournament MVP after hitting .409 (9-22) with two doubles, two RBI, seven runs scored and four stolen bases.

Robaczewski struck out two in two hitless innings of relief to earn the win.  Justin Haddix allowed just one earned run over five innings for the Cougars in relief of starter Cory Vogeli.

Brian Mauro had two hits and an RBI for DeSales and Justin Scerbo added a pair of hits.

Misericordia improved to 36-9 and advances to the NCAA Tournament where they will host the Mid-Atlantic Regional at PNC Field in Moosic.  DeSales fell to 32-12.

DeSales used three hits to take a 2-0 lead in the top of the first.  Scerbo served a soft liner into center field to lead off the game and moved to second on an errant pickoff attempt.   Mauro lined an opposite field single to left to make it 1-0 and Jack Kavetski reached via hit by pitch and Derek Chrismer singled through the left side to load the bases.  Charles Dennis lofted a pop fly to right that was lost in the sun and turned into an RBI-fielder's choice when the Cougars got the out at second base.

MU tied it in the bottom of the frame with Lindsay legging out an infield single on a grounder up the middle and Tressa reaching on an infield.  After Sulcoski was hit by pitch to load the bases, Lindsay was forced at home on Durling's fielder's choice.  Faria lined a two-run double into the left field corner to tie it, 2-2.  DeSales prevented further damage when Mauro caught Ryan Cacchioli's foul pop behind first base and threw home before catcher Derek Chrismer fired to second to double off Faria.

DeSales' Drew Borger ripped a one-hop double off the right field wall in the top of the second, but Vogeli got a flight and deflected a ground to Cacchioli to end the inning.

Misericordia went 1-2-3 in the bottom of the second with Kavetski making a nice spinning throw to nab Chris Boroch at first for the third out.

The Cougars went in front, 3-2, in the third when Lindsay reached on an error and raced to third on Tressa's double down the right field line before coming home on Sulcoski's sacrifice fly to center.

Misericordia made it 4-2 in the fifth when Tressa ripped a one-solo homer down the left field line.

DeSales tied it in the top the sixth.  After Jack Kavetski reached on an error and Derek Chrismer walked, both runners moved up on Charles Dennis' sacrifice bunt and came home on back-to-back wild pitches.