The Misericordia University baseball team completed the series sweep against Delaware Valley with two victories, 8-5 and 9-1, on Senior Appreciation Day to claim the top seed in the MAC Freedom Championships, Saturday at Tambur Field.

Shane Hughes was 3-for-3 with two runs and two RBI in the opener while Sean Boylan added a team-high three RBI. Tyler Holzapfel and Conor Smith each contributed one hit and one RBI.

Tom Jacob earned the win and improved to 6-2 overall. Kyle Melahn pitched 2.1 scoreless innings of relief with three strikeouts to earn his seventh save of the season.

In the first inning, Kenny Jarema started the Cougars off with a leadoff walk to expand his on-base streak to 27 games. The senior infielder later came around to score on a throwing error to give his squad an early 1-0 lead.

Misericordia opened the second inning with three straight singles. Santo Guinta led off the frame with a line drive up the middle while Hughes reached on a single to the shortstop. Smith then singled to center field to score Guinta and advance Hughes to third base. Hughes scored on a Boylan sacrifice fly in the team's following plate appearance, 3-0.

The Cougars put up a crooked number in the third inning with five runs. Holzapfel drove home the first run with a single to left field and Hughes cleared the bases with a two-run double to left-center field, following a Guinta single. Boylan then drove home two more runners with a single, 8-1.

Delaware Valley put together four unanswered runs in the fourth and fifth innings, but Melahn shut the door with 2.1 scoreless innings to earn the save.

Alejandro Santiago earned the victory in game two, tossing 5.1 innings with one earned run and three strikeouts.

Seniors Zach Mason and Kyle Rogalski both combined for one scoreless inning of relief. Mason struck out his lone batter, generating three swinging strikes, while Rogalski struck out one batter looking in 0.2 innings.

First-year pitcher Jared Kay also threw 0.2 innings of relief, striking out both batters swinging.

Holzapfel led the Cougars' offense in game two with two hits and a team-high three RBI while Smith and Hughes each added two RBI. Hughes was 8-for-12 with 10 RBI, six runs and four extra-base hits during the team's three-game series against the Aggies.

Jarema opened the game with a double down the left field line, extending his on-base streak to 28 games. He later came around to score on a Steve Weisensee single to right field, 1-0.

In the second inning, Guinta worked a one-out walk and advanced to third on a stolen base and a throwing error. Hughes then brought Guinta home with a sacrifice fly to center field, 2-0.

After the Aggies got a run back in the third inning, Misericordia answered with three runs in the fifth. Holzapfel plated the first runner with an RBI groundout to first base while Guinta drove home another run with a double in the following at bat. Hughes then wrapped up the inning with a triple to right field, 5-1.

The Cougars added four more insurance runs in the sixth inning. Holzapfel drove home two runners with a single and Smith added two more with a double to deep left field, 9-1.

Misericordia finished the regular season with a 29-10 overall record and a 16-5 MAC Freedom mark. The Cougars will hold the top seed in the MAC Freedom Championships, which start on Friday in West Lawn, PA.