MU senior Nate Newman hit a home run and pitched a complete-game shutout on the mound as the Misericordia University baseball team advanced to the Freedom Conference championship round with a 5-0 win over DeSales.

The Cougars will now face FDU-Florham at 3 PM in the finals of the double-elimination tournament. The Devils would clinch the league title with a win, while a Misericordia victory would force a deciding game tomorrow night.

Newman was 1-for-4 from the plate with a three-run homer. On the mound, he allowed six hits and no runs over nine innings. It is the second time this season that he has thrown a complete-game shutout while also homering.

Sophomore William Minderjahn was 2-for-3 at the plate, while freshman Joe Tagliarini was also 2-for-3. Andrew Tressa was 1-for-4 and scored twice.

For the Bulldogs, Ethan Moser was 2-for-2 and Brian Mauro was 2-for-4. Senior Jeff Pinto (2-1) took the loss.

MU opened the scoring in the bottom of the third when Ryan Cacchioli singled in Minderjahn, although Moser, the leftfielder, threw Tagliarini out at third to prevent further damage.

After Tressa and Kenny Durling both reached on infield errors in the fourth, Newman made the Bulldogs pay by launching a three-run shot to right field, his third straight game with a home run.

With two out in the bottom of the fifth, Tressa singled and Durling doubled to deep center to bring him around.

MU loaded the bases with one out in the sixth but rightfielder Doc Neiman caught an attempted sacrifice fly by Cacchioli and got his throw home in time to prevent Misericordia from sending the runner.

In the top of the seventh, Minderjahn nearly lost track of a fly ball to left field but reacted quickly to barehand it after it had bounced off the edge of his glove. The Cougars then turned a double play to keep DSU scoreless. Fittingly, Newman ended the game himself with an unassisted putout to first base in the ninth.

DeSales (20-17) is eliminated with the loss.