MAC Freedom athletics photo

Dante Salerno singled in the game-winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift the Misericordia University baseball team to their 10th straight MAC Freedom title with a 10-9 win at Stevens, Monday.

Brady Madden drew a lead-off walk to open the ninth and moved up on Joe Liscio's sacrifice bunt. One out later, Garrett McIlhenney was intentionally walked and Santino Manganella drew a two-out walk to load the bases.

Salerno's hard-hit ball was too tough to handle and Madden raced home with the winning run.

Misericordia's Brendan Gray was named the MAC Freedom Championships MVP after going 3-0 in the post-season, including a win over Stevens in Sunday's elimination game.

Misericordia is now tied with Upsala and Elizabethtown for the most baseball championships in MAC history and is the first team to win 10 consecutive titles. After dropping the series opener, Sunday, the Cougars staved off elimination to come back and win for the eighth time in 10 seasons.

Salerno led the Cougars with three hits, including a homer, and two RBI.

Sean Boylan added two hits, including a homer, and two RBI and McIlhenney, Manganella and Shane Hughes all had two hits.

Tyler Leonard picked up the win with two innings of relief.

Isaac Snyder struck out five and scattered five hits over five innings of relief, but didn't factor in the decision.

Stevens scored twice in the top of the first, but the Cougars responded with three in their half. McIlhenney singled to left to open the inning and Salerno drew a one-out walk. Boylan singled through the left side to drive in a run and the Cougars ended up with runners on second and third.

Derrick Vosburg tied the game with an RBI-sacrifice bunt and Hughes singled up the middle to give the Cougars a 3-2 lead.

Stevens went back in front with a pair of runs in the second, but Snyder came on to hold the Ducks to just one more run through the seventh inning.

The Cougars regained the lead with six runs in the third. Salerno and Boylan hit back-to-back homers to put MU ahead 5-4 and Hughes singled up the middle with one out. After Hughes stole second, Madden was hit by a pitch and Joe Liscio reached on a fielder's choice.

Austin Miles singled through the left side to make it 6-4 and McIlhenney singled up the middle to drive in a run and Miles also scored on a Stevens' miscue to give the Cougars an 8-4 lead.

Manganella capped the inning with an RBI-double to left and the Cougars led 9-4 through three innings.

Stevens got a run back in the fifth and pulled even with four runs in the top of the eighth.

Boylan ranged far to his left to get the first out in the top of the ninth and the Cougars turned a 6-4-3 double play to end the frame and set the stage for the game-winning rally.

Misericordia is 27-8 heading into next week's NCAA Tournament.