WEST LAWN, Pa.- Led by the junior class, the Manhattanville baseball team took down second-seeded Misericordia in game four of the Freedom Conference Baseball Championships on Saturday afternoon, beating the Cougars by a final score of 8-2 at Owls Field, placing the Valiants into the Freedom title round.
 
Juniors Michael Lyon (North Babylon, N.Y./North Babylon), Bobby Guerra (Bronx, N.Y./Arlington), Nick Euvino (Bronx, N.Y./Archbishop Stepinac) and Kevin Brady (Bronx, N.Y./Fordham Prep) were the difference for Manhattanville (24-13) against Misericordia (26-13-1). With Lyon tossing six strong innings on the mound, position players Guerra, Euvino and Brady combined for five hits, five RBIs and three runs. Sophomore Kurt Hommen (Ridgewood, N.J./Ridgewood) also had a solid performance for the Valiants by going 2 for 4 with two RBIs and a run.
 
Lyon (4-3) was terrific on the rubber for Manhattanville, tossing six innings, allowing only one run on four total hits. In relief, sophomore Sam Garito (New Rochelle, N.Y./Iona Prep) entered in the seventh inning, throwing three quality innings, giving up one run on three hits before picking up the save.
 
Both teams were silenced on the scoreboard until the third inning when it was Kyle Seawards bringing in the first run of the game on a muffed double play by Manhattanville, giving Misericordia a 1-0 lead. Although the Cougars struck first, Lyon and the Valiants eventually gained their rhythm both offensively and defensively.
 
Manhattanville got on Misericordia starter Tim Burek (5-2) in the fourth as singles from sophomore Jordanis Nunez (Bronx, N.Y./St. Raymond) and freshman Joe Anselmi (North Rockland, N.Y./North Rockland) put two runners on. With two runners on base, Euvino brought them home on a double smoked down the left field line, giving the Valiants a 2-1 lead after four. Behind the stellar performance from Lyon, the Valiants were not done supporting their pitcher at the plate.
 
As Anselmi reached base on a fielder's choice in the sixth inning, Guerra stepped up next, belting a two-run homer to left field, expanding the Manhattanville lead to three, 4-1. Despite the five walks given up by Lyon, the right-hander had his command in the sixth, taking down the Cougars 1-2-3.
 
After back-to-back doubles from Hommen and Brady in the seventh, the Valiants controlled a 5-1 lead before a 37-minute rain delay during the inning.  The delay did not slow down Manhattanville as freshman Chris Conklin (Yorktown Heights, N.Y./Lakeland) stepped up after the postponement, smacking a single to left center, scoring Brady and making it 6-1.  In addition to the RBI single, Conklin had two astonishing diving catches in the outfield, including one right into the left field wall.
 
Lyon went back out on the mound in the seventh, but was soon replaced by Garito after walking the first batter. With a comfortable five-run cushion, Garito denied Misericordia any chance of scoring in both the seventh and eighth innings. Manhattanville added two additional insurance runs in the eighth when Hommen knocked in two runs on a single up the middle to make it 8-1.
 
The Cougars posed a threat in the final inning, scoring one run before Garito closed the door en route to an impressive 8-2 victory for the Valiants. Before today's game, Manhattanville was outscored 56-15 in three games this season against Misericordia.
 
Manhattanville will face the winner of DeSales and Misericordia tomorrow at noon for a shot at its first conference title since 2010. Since the Valiants are 2-0 in the tournament, either DeSales or Misericordia will have to beat Manhattanville twice in order to win the championship. Live stats are available via GoValiants.com.