Julian Faria hit a walkoff two-run double to lift the Misericordia University baseball team to a come-from-behind Freedom Conference victory over the FDU-Florham Devils on Friday afternoon at Tambur Field.
 
Kenny Durling went 2-5 with a pair of doubles while Chris Boroch also added a pair of hits for the Cougars.
 
MU's Ryan Dorosh and the Devils' Chris Roberts found themselves locked in a pitcher's duel early in the game, as a Frank LaGuarina single in the first and a Brandan Adams single in the third for FDU were the only two hits through the first three innings.
 
The Devils threatened in the top of the fourth when Nick Meoli followed a Ricky Gathen single with a double of his own, but Bubba Jasinski made a strong relay throw to Ryan Cacchioli, who rocketed the ball to Paul Shepherd behind the plate to get Gathen out at home.
 
MU found the scoreboard first in the bottom of the fourth when Cacchioli singled through the right side and later scored on a Boroch single, also through the right side, to give the Cougars a 1-0 lead.
 
That lead was short lived, as FDU-Florham responded in the top of the fifth with a LaGuarina three-run home run to left field to put the Devils on top 3-1.
 
The Cougars appeared as if they would cut into the deficit in the bottom of the fifth when Steve Sulcoski singled and Durling doubled with just one out. Cacchioli was hit by a pitch to load the bases, but Joe Tagliarini grounded into what initially appeared to be a fielder's choice with Sulcoski out at home. However, the field umpire charged Tagliarini with runner interference for the third out, allowing the Devils to escape the inning unscathed.
 
Dorosh made quick work of the Devils in the top of the sixth, striking out two of three batters while the Cougars followed opening singles by Boroch and Bubba Jasinski with some small ball tactics, eventually scoring Boroch on a Lindsay sacrifice fly to cut the Devils' lead to 3-2.
 
Dorosh struck out two more batters in a 1-2-3 seventh inning, and the MU offense responded. Durling led of the inning with his second double of the game and later scored when Tagliarini reached on a Devils' throwing error to even the score at 3-3.
 
The Devils would not go down without a fight, taking advantage of MU miscues to retake the lead in the eighth inning. After Dorosh recorded the first out, LaGuarina reached on a fielding error. A second error allowed Core to reach base and Gathen was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Meoli drew an RBI-walk to score LaGuarina and give FDU-Florham a 4-3 lead.
 
Vogeli would come replace Dorosh on the mound, and made his presence felt immediately, striking out both batters to get out of the bases-loaded jam without allowing additional runs.
 
The Cougars couldn't score either of their baserunners in the bottom of the eighth, and the Devils nearly extended their lead in the top of the ninth after James Dertouzos hit a one-out triple. Vogeli, however, got a pair of easy outs from Tagliarini to give MU a chance in the bottom of the ninth.
 
Tagliarini hit a one-out single to start things off for MU in the final frame, and Boroch was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second. A Jasinski flyout to center field allowed Tagliarini to move to third as the potential tying run.
 
It appeared as if the Cougars would have the bases loaded when Faria, who had come in to replace Shepherd at catcher, was hit by the first pitch he faced. The home plate umpire, however, ruled that Faria had not attempted to avoid the ball, and Faria was required to resume his at-bat.
 
It turned out to be just the break the Cougars needed, as Faria took hold of a 2-1 pitch and sent it sailing to deep center field, scoring both Boroch and Tagliarini to end the game and give the Cougars a key conference victory.
 
Vogeli (2-0) earned the victory on the mound for MU, allowing just one hit and striking out two in one and two-thirds innings of action. Dorosh made the start and had a solid showing on the mound, scattering seven hits and four runs (three earned) over seven and one-third innings while striking out eight.
 
Thurnes took the loss for the Devils, allowing two hits and two runs in one inning of action.
 
The Cougars will travel to FDU-Florham tomorrow to play games two and three of the season series.