DALLAS (PA) – The Delaware Valley University baseball team picked up a big 6-4 victory at Misericordia University in a Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom game on Friday.
The Aggies upped their record to 11-8 and they are 3-6 in the conference. The Cougars are 17-8 overall with an 8-3 MAC Freedom mark. It was DelVal's first win at Misericordia since 2013. The Cougars are the five-time defending conference champions and were ranked earlier this season. They dealt #1 Ramapo its only loss of the season, 8-5 back on March 29.
The Aggies struck early, posting one run in the first inning and two in the second. With two outs in the opening frame, junior center fielder Kyle Wenger drew a walk then stole second base. Senior designated hitter Matt Dewald brought him home with a single to right field. In the second, Delaware Valley loaded the bases on two singles, a fielder's choice and an error. Junior second baseman Ben Lippincott knocked in two runs with a single to left.
The Aggies took a 4-0 lead in the fifth, striking once again with two outs. Wenger doubled to left field followed by a Dewald RBI single. Sophomore Kevin Crill got the starting nod on the mound and held Misericordia to just three hits through the first five innings. The Cougars broke through for a run in the sixth. After the first two men were retired, designated hitter D.J. Navoczynski singled up the middle then right fielder Mike Comerford brought him in with a double to center.
DelVal loaded the bases again in the eighth on a single and two hit by pitches. Freshman shortstop Josh Morgan reached on a fielder's choice, allowing sophomore first baseman Jeremy Stewart to score for a 5-1 advantage. Misericordia produced another two-out rally in the bottom of the frame as Navoczynski hit a RBI double followed by a run-scoring single from Comerford.
The Aggies added another insurance run in the ninth. With two outs, Stewart and freshman catcher Ryan Schuetrumpf drew consecutive walks. Sophomore left fielder Sammy Amos knocked in Stewart with a base hit up the middle. Misericordia was able to put a run on the board in the bottom half of the inning and had the bases loaded with two outs. Junior Chris Kelly got Navoczynski to fly out to center to nail down his first save of the year.
Crill ended up going seven innings for the victory (1-0) and allowed two runs on six hits. Kelly went the final two frames and surrendered two runs and four hits. Ryan Dorosh took the loss (4-2). He tossed six innings and gave up four runs on seven hits while striking out five.
Wenger was two-for-three with a double and two runs scored. Dewald posted three hits (five at-bats) and two RBI. Lippincott drove in two runs while Amos and Morgan had one RBI apiece. Junior right fielder Nate Cummings and Amos each scored a run.
Navoczynski and Comerford each produced two hits and a double. Comerford tallied two RBI while Navoczynski knocked in one run and scored twice. Left fielder Jeremy DeCotiis was three-for-four with a run scored. First baseman Alec Iurato recorded one RBI and second baseman Kyle Lindsay crossed the plate one time.
Delaware Valley and Misericordia wrap up the season series with a doubleheader in Doylestown on Saturday, April 16 (12:00 p.m.).