The Misericordia University baseball team won their seventh straight MAC Freedom Championship with a 8-0 win over DeSales University, on a beautiful Sunday afternoon at Owls Field in West Lawn, PA.

Jake Kurtz went 5.0 innings, allowed four hits and struck out eight to earn the victory. Garrett Pelko pitched 4.0 innings in relief, allowing three hits and striking out three to earn the save.

Conor Smith went 3-5 with two RBI, two runs scored and a stolen base. Jeremy DeCotiis went 3-5 with an RBI. MAC Freedom Tournament MVP Tyler Holzapfel went 2-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Santo Guinta went 1-1 with a two-run home run. Parker Abate went 2-5 with an RBI and a run scored.

Smith started the game with a bloop single to shallow right field. DeCotiis singled to right center as Smith went first to third. Kenny Jarema hit a sac fly to right to score Smith and give MU an early 1-0 lead.

In the bottom half of the inning, Kurtz mixed two walks with three strikeouts as he struck out the last batter with runners at first and second.

Holzapfel was hit by a pitch to start the fourth inning. Steve Weisensee laid down a sacrifice bunt but reached safely on a throwing error by the third baseman. Guinta bunted the runners over before Abate laid down a bunt to score Holzapfel and make it 2-0 MU. Brett Davis drew a walk to load the bases. Billy Kerwien smacked a ball that was going up the middle but the pitcher knocked it down and threw home for the second out. Smith ripped single through the left side to score Davis and Abate to make it 4-0 Misericordia.

Midway through the top of the fifth, Weisensee reached on a fielder's choice as Holzapfel was thrownout at second for the second out of the inning. Guinta came up, Weisensee stole second before Guinta clobbered a ball over the fence in left field as MU opened up a 6-0 lead.

In the sixth, Davis reached safely and advanced to second on a throwing error by the third baseman. Smith smacked a singled through the left side. After Smith stole second, DeCotiis ripped a single through the right side to score Davis. Two batters later Holzapfel also singled through the right side to plate Smith to push the lead to 8-0.

In the bottom of the ninth with two outs with a runner on first, Jarema fielded a balled and flipped it to Chad Bell to end the game as the Misericordia dugout emptied onto the field.

Misericordia is now 30-12 and will find out who they play in the NCAA regional, later today.