Box Score The Misericordia University baseball team fell behind early and couldn't overcome a pair of DeSales home runs as the Cougars fell to the Bulldogs, 9-6, in the Freedom Conference opener for both teams on Friday afternoon.

Freshman Kyle Lindsay went 3-6 with 3 RBI and a double to lead the Cougar offense while Andrew Tressa and Joe Tagliarini each added a pair of hits.

MU (9-4, 0-1 Freedom) found itself in an early 4-0 hole when the Bulldogs' (6-4, 1-0) Mark Westdyk pounded a two-out grand slam to right field in the bottom of the first inning.

The Cougars would respond with a two-run second inning to cut the deficit to 4-2. Ryan Cacchioli and Tagliarini both singled and a Chris Boroch walk loaded the bases to set up Lindsay's two-run single to center field. DeSales, however, answered back in their half of the inning with two more runs on a Jack Kavetski triple to extend their lead back to 6-2.

Both offenses quieted in the middle of the game, as the score remained 6-2 until the bottom of the sixth, when a Justin Scerbo two-run home run allowed the Bulldogs' lead to grow to 8-2.

A Julian Faria single scored Tressa in the top of the seventh to cut DeSales lead to 8-3, but it would grow back to six runs in the bottom of the inning on an Alec Hardy RBI-single.

MU made a late push in the eighth inning, scoring a pair of two-out runs on a Tressa groundout and a Steve Sulcoski single to cut the deficit to 9-5.

The Cougars added another two-out run in the top of the ninth when a Lindsay bases-loaded single scored Faria, but DeSales was able to get a groundout to end the inning and earn the victory.

Evan Robaczewski (3-1) took the loss on the mound for MU, allowing six runs and six hits in just three innings of action. Cory Vogeli allowed two hits and two runs in three innings while Ryan Dorosh pitched the final two innings, allowing two hits and one run while striking out three.

Dan Gayeski (1-1) earned the win for DeSales, allowing five hits and two runs while walking six in 5.1 innings. Kavetski, Westdyk, Hardy and Drew Borger each had two hits for the Bulldogs.

MU actually out-hit DeSales 11-10, but the Cougars couldn't string their hits together, leaving 13 runners on base to the Bulldogs' six.

The Cougars will host DeSales tomorrow in a doubleheader that is slated to begin at 1:05 PM. Tomorrow's games will be the first ever on MU's new Tambur Field. Mr. Robert Tambur will throw out a ceremonial first pitch prior to game one, and the official dedication of the facility will take place between games.

Additionally, tomorrow's first game will be broadcast on FOX 56.