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.
May 5, 2013
Misericordia three-peats
More news about: Misericordia
DeSales
5
Misericordia
9
Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DeSales (32-12) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 8 | 3 |
Misericordia (36-9) | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | X | 9 | 10 | 3 |