David McCurry and Joe Valenti combined on a seven-hitter as the Misericordia University baseball team took the opening game of their NCAA Super Regional series at Marietta, 8-3, Friday afternoon.

McCurry allowed just two runs over six innings to get the win and Valenti allowed just one hit over three innings to get the save.

Brock Bollinger had three hits and three RBI and Brady Madden had three hits and scored two runs.  Jason Sanfilippo had two hits and two RBI and Joe Comins, Connor Maryniak and Brendan Gray all had two hits to pace MU's 14-hit attack.

The Cougars loaded the bases on three straight singles in the second, but Marietta turned a double-play to escape the jam.

After the Pioneers took a 1-0 lead in the third, the Cougars answered with four runs in the top of the fourth.

Madden grounded a 3-1 pitch up the middle to open the inning and raced to third when Comins bounced a single over first base.  Maryniak bounced a ball to third and after Madden beat that tag getting back to the bag, both runners scored on a throwing error and Maryniak raced all the way around to third.  Gray followed with a bouncer to shortstop and Maryniak beat the throw home with a head- first slide to make it 3-1.  Down 1-2 in the count, Sanfilippo battled back to bloop a single to right center and Jack Regenye drove in a run on a ground out to give MU a 4-1 lead.

Marietta got a run back with a two-out single in the sixth.  Following a lead-off walk in the seventh, Valenti came on to retire three straight batters.

The Pioneers converted a lead-off walk in the bottom of the eighth into a run to get within 4-3.

Misericordia added some insurance with four runs in the top of the ninth.  Madden lined a single down the left field line to start the inning and moved up on a sacrifice bunt.  Maryniak soft liner to right to put runners on the corners and Gray was intentionally walked to load the bases.  Sanfilippo lined the first pitch to left center to plate to runs and make it 6-3.  Following a pitching change, McIlhenney was intentionally walked for the third time and Bollinger bounced a two-run single through the left side to extend the lead to 8-3.

After a fly out to start the bottom of the ninth, Vosburg made a diving stop at first base for the second out and Regenye tracked down the final out on the warning track in right.

Misericordia will be the home team in the second game of the series, Saturday at 11:00.