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Quakertown, PA (May 12, 2012) – Misericordia scratched out two runs late, one in the seventh and one in the eighth, to break a tie at three and the DeSales University baseball team left the tying run at the plate in the top of the ninth in a 5-3 loss to Misericordia University in the Freedom Conference championship game on Saturday evening at Quakertown Memorial Park.

The loss ends the Bulldogs season at 29-14 overall, while Misericordia earns the Freedom Conference's automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament next week.

DSU took a 2-0 lead in the second inning on Saturday after senior Nick Chiovitti singled home junior Derek Chrismer and sophomore Charles Dennis.  MU (36-8) countered in the third on four hits, including two doubles, to score three times and take a 3-2 lead.

The Bulldogs wasted no time tying the game in the fourth on base hit by senior Kenny Ridge scoring freshman Drew Borger who singled to lead-off the inning.

DeSales went in order in both the fifth and sixth inning and Misericordia threatened in the bottom of the sixth with runners on first and third and two outs, but junior David Drinks entered the game and picked off the runner on first to end the threat.

DSU had a chance to take control in the seventh, putting runners on first and second with no one out.  Junior Justin Scerbo hit a bouncing ball down the line at third but MU's Andrew Tressa made a diving stop to get a force at third and junior Brian Mauro flew out to left and senior Ethan Moser struck out swinging to end the threat.

The Cougars took advantage in bottom of the inning with a runner at second and one out.  Tressa sent a high chopper to second but Drinks bobbled the throw from Ridge at first and the runner from second scampered home as the ball got away.

DeSales wasted a lead-off double by senior Jason Hadinger in the top of the eighth and Misericordia added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth on a Bulldog error and two bunts, including a squeeze bunt with to score MU's run.

Ridge led off the ninth with a bunt single and Scerbo nearly beat out a bunt to third base in the next at-bat on a bang-bang play at first base, but Mauro and Moser each struck out swinging to end the game as the Cougars celebrated its second straight title.

Drinks took the loss, allowing one run in two thirds of an inning.  Ridge had two hits and an RBI and Chiovitti had two RBIs in the loss.  Eight of the nine starters had a hit in the loss.