AMBLER, Pa. - The No. 7/10 and top-seeded Arcadia University baseball team swept second-seeded Misericordia in the Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) Championship series to win its first conference championship since 2018 and fourth in program history.
The Knights earned the MAC Freedom's automatic qualifier to the NCAA Division III Tournament and look forward to the tournament's selection show, which will be streamed live on NCAA.com at 12 p.m. on Monday.
Connor Cheeseman was named the MAC Freedom Championship's Most Valuable Player as he went 3-for-7 in the series including a go-ahead grand slam in game one. He finished with five RBI's over the two games.
The Knights took a 1-0 lead in the series after winning the resumed game from yesterday, 10-9. Hunter Sibley pitched the ninth inning for the Knights and earned the save to give Arcadia the advantage in the series.
Hunter Curley got the start on the mound for Arcadia and pitched 1.2 innings, giving up two runs on four hits. Zach Steiger entered the game in relief and threw 4.2 innings, allowing three runs on four hits and a walk, while striking out two. Margolis pitched 1.2 innings, allowing two runs on one hit and two walks. He struck out four batters.
Alex Madera went 3-for-5 with an RBI and Justin Massielo went 2-for-3 with an RBI and two walks in the game one win.
In game two, the Knights took the lead in the first inning and never relinquished it.
Hunter Sibley came back and started the second game and pitched five shutout innings, only giving up two hits and three walks, while striking out one batter. He earned his seventh victory of the season.
After a lengthy rain delay, Nadell Booker entered in relief and threw three innings, allowing two runs on three hits and striking out two. Owen Margolis entered the game in the ninth inning and pitched a scoreless frame to seal the championship for the Knights.
Zachary Sekelick, Alex Madera and Cheeseman all finished with multi-hit games. Madera was 6-for-10 in the series with three RBI's. Sekelick was 4-for-9 with two RBI's across the two games.
ARCADIA 10, MISERICORDIA 9
HOW IT HAPPENED
Misericordia scored the first runs of the game as it plated two in the second inning. The Knights answered with two runs through RBI singles from Massielo and Zachary Sekelick in the third inning to tie the game at two.
Sekelick drove in his second run of the game to give the Knights a 3-2 lead in the fifth. Arcadia added three more runs in the sixth through an RBI double from Ryan Smolen and an RBI single from Madera to give the Knights a 6-2 lead.
The Cougars scored five runs in the seventh inning to take a 7-6 lead.
Cheeseman gave the Knights a 10-7 lead through a two out grand slam in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Misericordia scored two runs in the ninth inning, but Arcadia held on to take the opening game of the series.
ARCADIA 9, MISERICORDIA 2
HOW IT HAPPENED
Cheeseman got the Knights on the board through an RBI double in the first inning.
Madera added to Arcadia's lead in the second inning, driving home Matt Donchez on a bunt.
The Knights added two more runs in the third inning as Sekelick stole home and Brandon Colon scored on a wild pitch to extend Arcadia's lead to 4-0.
Arcadia blew the game open in the fifth inning as it plated five runs. Matthew Sot, Trey Obarowski and Madera all had RBI singles and Sekelick and Obarowski scored on wild pitches to give the Knights a 9-0 lead.
Misericordia hit a two-run homer in the eighth but the Knights closed out the game to win the conference championship.
UP NEXT
The Knights look forward to their NCAA Tournament destination with the regional round beginning next weekend.