NCAA Game 6
Misericordia University rallied from a three-run ninth-inning deficit to beat Franklin & Marshall, 7-5, and stay alive at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Baseball Regional Championships, Thursday at PNC Field in Moosic, PA.
Trailing 5-2 entering the ninth, the Cougars used a five-run rally to take a 7-5 lead. Ryan Cacchioli led off with a line drive single to center and moved to second on Joe Tagliarini’s walk. After a pitching change, Dylan Mazzo lined a pinch-hit single to left to load the bases.
Chris Boroch grounded a single through the left side to make it 5-3 and Lindsay tied with a two-run bloop single inside the right field line.
Andrew Tressa walked to load the bases and Steve Sulcoski and Kenny Durling both followed with RBI-fielder’s choices.
Franklin & Marshall threatened in the bottom of the ninth, but Vogeli struck out the side. Mike Mezansky led off with a single up the middle and Kevin Shields singled up the middle. Pat Andrews drew a one-out walk to load the bases, but Vogeli got two strikeouts to end the game.
Lindsay had three hits to lead the Cougars and Durling added two hits and three RBI. Vogeli struck out five over five shutout innings to earn the win.
The Cougars took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when Kyle Lindsay lined the first pitch of the game to center field for a single and moved to second on Andrew Tressa’s single through the left side.
After a double-steal, Durling beat a bouncer down the third base line to score Lindsay.
F & M tied it in the bottom of the second when Kevin Shields blooped a single over shortstop and moved to second on Avery Attinson’s walk. After a fielder’s choice, Brian Erb walked to load the bases and Shields scored on Michael Smeriglio’s fielder’s choice.
Aaron Gillette grounded a single back through the box to lead off the Franklin & Marshall third. One out later, Alex Vescera blooped a single to short right and Shields followed with a sacrifice fly to make it 2-1.
The Diplomats added an insurance run without the benefit of a hit in the fourth. Brian Erb and Mike Smeriglio drew back-to-back one-out walks and Erb came around to score on a wild throw on Rob Anderson’s fielder’s choice.
MU pulled to within one in the fifth inning when Lindsay drew a lead-off walk, stole second and scored on Durling’s two-out single through the left side.
F & M answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth. Alex Vescera led off with a double to right center and moved to third on Matt Mezansky’s single through the right side.
Kevin Shields reached on an error to make it 4-2 and Pat Andrews followed with an RBI-fielder’s choice to make it 5-2.
Misericordia improved to 37-10 and will face the Alvernia/Kean loser, Friday at 10:00. Franklin & Marshall finished 23-21.
