true Gwynedd-Mercy 8, Misericordia 4

BOX SCORE

GWYNEDD VALLEY, PA. -- Gwynedd-Mercy exploded for six runs in the eighth inning to springboard to an 8-4 win over Misericordia in non-league action on Tuesday.

The Griffins, who had just three hits through seven innings, came alive in the latter stages of the game, using six hits with three walks and two wild pitches in the frame. Pinch hitter Jay Sechowicz (Churchville, Pa./Council Rock South) had two of the hits, a lead-off double and later an RBI single. Junior Derek Apsche (Yardley, Pa./Pennsbury) tied it at 4-4 with a run scoring single, and Josh Martin (Pottstown, Pa./St. Pius X) followed with an RBI single to give GM its first lead of the game.

Andres Gonzalez led the Cougars with three RBI's on two hits. His first RBI came in the third as Misericordia took a 2-0 lead.

Gwynedd (13-14-1) got on the board in the fourth when Dante Cassano (Cherry Hill, N.J./Cherry Hill East), who got on base with a two-out double, scored on an error to third to cut it to 2-1.

Gonzalez struck again in the fifth with a two-out, two-run double to give MU a three-run cushion. In the bottom of the frame, junior Kevin Smeraglio (Newtown, Pa./Holy Ghost) scored on a sac fly from senior Austin Ley (Cherry Hill, N.J./Cherry Hill East) to make it a 4-2 game.

The Griffins hung around, thanks to the bullpen, who limited the Cougars to just two hits and a walk over the next three innings to keep the squad in the game.

Senior Andrew Ball (Orwigsburg, Pa./Blue Mountain) got the win in relief, after pitching a 1-2-3 eighth inning. Starter R.J. Finizio (Maple Shade, N.J./Maple Shade) struck out five and walked none in 4.2 innings and gave up four runs on 10 hits.

Cassano finished with two hits, while Smeraglio scored twice and stole two bases.

Kenny Durling led the Cougars (23-13) with three hits.

Gwynedd-Mercy plays at Philadelphia Biblical on Friday in the final regular-season conference series. The two teams will meet here on Saturday in a doubleheader at noon. If the the Griffins can sweep the Crimson Eagles, and have Immaculata take two of three from Neumann in their weekend series, GM can lock up the #2 playoff seed and a first-round home playoff game next week.