The Misericordia University baseball team opened its MAC Freedom schedule with an 8-6 win at Wilkes, Friday afternoon.

Austin Miles had three hits and drove in the go-ahead run with a single in the top of the ninth inning.

Garrett McIlhenney added three hits and Brady Madden had two hits and two RBI.

Matthew Lanzendorfer struck out four in two shutout innings of relief to earn the win and Connor Maryniak threw a perfect ninth to earn the save.

Trailing 6-3 after innings, the Cougars scored twice in the seventh and tied in the eighth to set the stage for the winning rally.

Brock Bollinger led off the seventh with a pinch-hit double and scored on Santino Manganella's single through the right side.  Madden followed with a double down the left field line to get the Cougars within a run.

Miles singled to left field to open the eighth and later scored on Brendan Gray's single to tie the score.

McIlhenney singled to start the ninth and Manganella reached via hit by pitch.  Following a sac bunt by Madden, Derrick Vosburg was intentionally walked to load the bases.

Miles drove in the go-ahead run with an infield single and Gray drew a walk to add an insurance run.

MU scored in each of the first three innings to take a 3-0 lead.

McIlhenney doubled down the left field line and scored one out later on Madden's double to left center.

Sanfilippo reached on an error to open the second and eventually scored on McIlhenney's two-out double to left center.

Owen VanNewkirk singled through the left side with one out in the third and came home on Miles' triple to right center.

Wilkes scored four runs in the bottom of the fourth and added two runs in the fifth before the Cougars rallied for the win.

Misericordia will host Wilkes for a doubleheader, Saturday at noon.