PURCHASE, N.Y.- The Manhattanville baseball team is officially headed to the Freedom Conference Tournament for the fourth consecutive season after taking down #13/26 Misericordia by a final score of 7-6 in Freedom Conference play on Friday afternoon.
 
Manhattanville (19-14, 12-6 Freedom) trailed Misericordia (23-7, 12-4 Freedom) on three separate occasions on Friday, but the Valiants were able to mount a comeback every time to eventually beat the Cougars in nine innings. The Valiants tallied 15 total hits against Misericordia, which included six different Manhattanville players finishing with a two-hit performance. With the win, Manhattanville locks up at least a three seed in the Freedom Conference Tournament.
 
Freshman Dennis Berardi (Brewster, N.Y./Kennedy Catholic) made the start on the mound for the Valiants, tossing four innings, allowing four runs on five hits before being replaced by junior Julian Ponce (Port Chester, N.Y./Archbishop Stepinac). Ponce picked up the win in the contest after throwing 3 2/3 innings, giving up two runs on four hits while striking out four batters. Senior Joe Palmeri (Mastic, N.Y./Eastport/South Manor) shut down the Cougars in the final 1 1/3 innings of play, keeping Misericordia scoreless, picking up his second save of the season in the 7-6 win.
 
The Cougars scored the first run of the game, coming in the first inning on an RBI single from Mike Comerford. Manhattanville answered in the bottom half of the first, as junior Jake McGrath (Pound Ridge, N.Y./Fox Lane) ripped a single up the middle to bring home sophomore John Delahanty (Mahopac, N.Y./Mahopac) to tie the game up at one after one. The Valiants eventually took their first lead of the game in the second inning, coming off a throwing error at shortstop to score senior Kevin Brady (Bronx, N.Y./Fordham Prep) from third, making it 2-1 after two innings.
 
Misericordia tied the ball game up in the third inning when it was Steve Cuccio connecting on an RBI single to right center. With the game tied at 2, the Cougars eventually scored two runs in the fourth to retake their lead at 4-2. Senior Nick Euvino (Bronx, N.Y./Archbishop Stepinac) chipped away at the two-run deficit in the bottom half of the fourth, bringing home Brady on a single up the middle. Trailing by one run in the fifth, sophomore Robbie Lynch (Bronx, N.Y./Fordham Prep) stepped up the plate to tie the game up at four after belting a home run over the right field fence.
 
Ponce was able to make quick work of the Cougars, but Kyle Lindsay gave Misericordia back the lead in the sixth after a two-run single to make it 6-4. Misericordia starter Ryan Dorosh lasted 6 1/3 innings on the mound, allowing five runs on 11 hits before being replaced by Jim Tunison. Despite trailing by two runs headed into the seventh, the Valiants put together a solid inning, scoring three runs with two outs to take a 7-6 lead. After a double from senior Bobby Guerra (Bronx, N.Y./Arlington), classmate Jeff Moskowitz (Succasunna, N.J./Roxbury) knocked him in on an RBI single to center field. Delahanty then tied the game up at six, smoking a single to right field to score Moskowitz from second. With still two outs in the inning, junior Jordanis Nunez (Bronx, N.Y./St. Raymond) gave the Valiants back the lead with an RBI single to left field, bringing home Euvino to make it 7-6.
 
Ponce's day eventually came to an end in the eighth as Palmeri entered to shut down the Cougars for the final 1 1/3 innings. D.J. Navoczynki got the only hit off Palmeri for Misericordia, coming in the final inning, but pinch-hitter Connor Rittenhouse grounded into a double play to end the game as Manhattanville beat the Cougars by a final score of 7-6.
 
Manhattanville will travel to take on Misericordia tomorrow for a double header starting at 1 p.m.