Steve Rinda and Connor Maryniak combined to lead the Misericordia University baseball team to a 6-4 win over Middlebury to clinch the 2024 NCAA Regional Championship, Sunday at Tambur Field.

Rinda scattered six hits over 5.2 innings and Maryniak had three hits and three RBI as the Cougars completed an 18-0 season at Tambur Field.

MU improved to 36-9 and will face the Christopher Newport/NC Wesleyan winner in next weekend's Super Regional.

Justin Calvarese struck out three in 1.1 innings and Tyler Leonard worked two innings to earn his first save of the year.

Garrett McIlhenney drew a lead-off walk to start the bottom of the first inning.  He stole two bases and came home with the game's first run when Maryniak laced a 1-2 pitch into left field to set a new school record with his 65^th RBI of the season.

The Cougars added a pair of two-out runs in the third inning.  Jack Regenye doubled down the left field line and Brock Bollinger was hit by a pitch before both runners moved up on a wild pitch.  Maryniak lined another single to left to drive in two runs and give MU a 3-0 lead.

Middlebury got on the board in the fifth and the Cougars answered with three runs in the bottom of the frame.

Bollinger reached on an error and Maryniak lined a single to left.  Both runners advanced on a wild pitch and Joe Comins drew a four-pitch walk to load the bases.  Hoffman lined a single to left field to drive in two runs to put MU up, 5-1.  Sanfilippo was hit by pitch to load the bases and Owen Cordner drove in a run on a squeeze bunt.

The Panthers scored twice in the top of the eighth before Leonard came on to get the final six outs.