Box Score WEST LAWN, Pa.- Despite connecting on 16 hits, the Manhattanville baseball team was unable to take down Misericordia in the Freedom Conference Championship, losing the title round by a final score of 10-6 to the Cougars at Owls Field.

Senior Eli Tsouristakis (New Rochelle, N.Y./Fordham Prep) and junior Kevin Brady (Bronx, N.Y./Fordham Prep) tallied three hits each in the losing effort. For Manhattanville (24-15), the Valiants left 13 total runners stranded on base, proving to be the biggest issue in the conference championship game against Misericordia (29-13-1).

Senior Joe Pareres (Bronxville, N.Y./Fordham Prep) made the start on the mound for the Valiants, tossing 1 1/3 innings, allowing five runs on only three hits, including a three-run homer from Mike Comerford. As Pareres struggled to gather rhythm on the rubber, the Cougars took advantage of the Valiants pitching, tallying 10 runs on nine total hits.

The Valiants scored first in the top half of the first when it was sophomore Jordanis Nunez (Bronx, N.Y./St. Raymond) connecting on a single to left field, scoring Brady to make it 1-0. Manhattanville left the bases loaded in both the first and second innings as Misericordia was able to capitalize with runners on.

The Cougars took the lead away from Manhattanville right away in the first as Comerford stepped up with two runners on, smoking a home run to left field, making it 3-1 in favor of Misericordia. The Cougars tacked on two more runs in the second inning off Pareres, jumping out to a 5-1 lead.

Despite trailing 5-1, the Valiants answered their four-run deficit in the fourth, starting with an RBI single from freshman Robbie Lynch (Bronx, N.Y./Fordham Prep). Freshman Joe Anselmi (North Rockland, N.Y./North Rockland) stepped up next, belting a double to right center, bringing in Nunez and making it 5-3. After the double, Lynch eventually scored on a wild pitch before junior Nick Euvino (Bronx, N.Y./Archbishop Stepinac) tied the game at five on an RBI double to left center, scoring Anselmi.

After tying the game up at five, the Cougars put together a big fourth inning as well, scoring three runs off junior Joe Palmeri (Mastic, N.Y./Eastport/South Manor) (1-2), retaking a lead at 8-5. Misericordia tallied two more runs in the fifth on a two-run single from Jeremy DeCotiis, making it 10-5.

The Valiants were unable to manufacture any runs off Misericordia relief pitcher Brett Davis, who tossed four shutout innings, giving up five hits in his first victory of the season. Manhattanville posed a threat in the final inning off Cougars relief pitcher Cory Vogeli, scoring one run on sacrifice fly from sophomore Kurt Hommen (Ridgewood, N.J./Ridgewood) before Brady grounded into a double play to end the game with a 10-6 loss for Manhattanville.

Manhattanville was inches to winning the title over Misericordia in the first game on Sunday when Euvino was robbed on a diving play at shortstop that would have scored freshman Chris Conklin (Yorktown Heights, N.Y./Lakeland) for the game-winning run. Unfortunately, the fourth-seeded Valiants will have to settle for second place in the Freedom Conference, finalizing a spectacular year behind Freedom Conference Coach of the Year Jeff Caulfield.

The Valiants will wait to hear this week about whether or not their season is officially over. Manhattanville might have an opportunity to participate in the ECAC Metro Tournament.