Joe Valenti threw 6.2 shutout innings to lead the Misericordia University baseball team to a 6-3 win over Stevens in the MAC Freedom semifinals, Monday at Mangelsdorf Field.
Valenti entered the game with the bases loaded in the third inning and got a fielder's choice and a pick off to limit the damage as the Cougars improved to 28-15 and advanced to the championship series at Arcadia. Friday.
Garrett McIlhenney and Derrick Vosburg both had two hits and an RBI for MU and Brendan Gray had a two-run single.
After both teams went quietly over the first two innings, the game was decided in the third inning.
The Ducks took a 3-0 lead in the top of third with a Misericordia-like rally as a one-out walk, an infield single and a walk loaded the bases. A HBP forced in the first run and Valenti came on to induce an RBI-fielder's choice to make it 2-0. The Ducks final run scampered home as a teammate was caught in a rundown between first and second base to end the inning.
The Cougars responded with four runs in their half of the third.
Gray drew a four-pitch walk to open the inning and moved to third on a pair of wild pitches. McIlhenney doubled down the right field line to drive in a run and Comins belted a double to the warning track in right to make it 3-2.
Brady Madden drove in the tying run with a line drive single to left and advanced to second on the throw before moving up on a wild pitch.
Vosburg ripped a single off the glove of the second baseman to give MU a 4-3 lead.
Misericordia advanced a potential insurance to third base in the fourth and fifth innings, but were unable to cash in.
Meanwhile, Valenti set Stevens down in order in three of the next four innings, including called third strikes to end the sixth and seventh innings.
Stevens threatened in the top of the eighth as they loaded the bases on a walk and a pair of singles, but Valenti got a pop up to shortstop to escape.
Vosburg opened the bottom of the eighth with a line drive double to left center and Owen Van NewKirk drew a one-out walk. Austin Miles walked to load the bases and Gray grounded a single up the middle to add a pair of insurance runs.
Valenti had another 1-2-3 inning in the ninth and closed the game with a strikeout.
