PURCHASE (Ny.) – The Delaware Valley University baseball team built a 4-0 lead, but could not hold on as host Manhattanville College put up 10 runs in two innings to earn an 11-5 victory in the opening game of the three-game Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom series.

The Valiants improved to 7-8 overall and 4-2 in league games while the Aggies fell to 6-12 and 2-5. The two squads will wrap up the season series tomorrow with a pair of seven inning games in Doylestown beginning at noon.

DelVal held Manhattanville to just one hit through three innings and used three hits and two errors in the top of the third to open up a 4-0 advantage. Timmy Lallis got the two-out rally started with a single to right field and Troy Lachenmayer drove him in with a single to get the Aggies on the board. Later in the frame, Tom Crooks came around to score on a balk DelVal got two unearned runs after a pair of errors on the same play.

The Valiants had just four hits on the board through six innings, but they were effective. Jack Matero homered to right center in the fourth and Luke Tebolt drove in three runs with a triple in the sixth. The Valiants got one more run in the sixth on a sacrifice fly to pull ahead, 5-4.

DelVal immediately tied the game in the top of the seventh as Crooks got aboard with a double and stole third. Ryan Schuetrumpf drove him in with a sacrifice fly to center to tie the game at 5-5.

Manhattanville doubled its hits for the game in the bottom of the seventh with four hits in the frame that resulted in six runs and gave it a commanding 11-5 lead going into the eighth. The Valiants worked two walks and one batter was hit by a pitch, but Stephen Merrill who had the big knock with a double to center field that drove in two runs.

The Aggies were held to just one hit over the final two frames as the home team held on for the 11-5 final.

Hunter Mease got the start for DelVal and went six innings giving up five runs (two earned) on four hits with three strikeouts and one walk. Messick came on in the seventh and suffered his first loss of the year and Zach Goodell pitched 1.1 innings and retired all four batters he faced. Offensively, Lalils, Lachenmayer, and Schuetrumpf each picked up two hits as the team finished with 10 total, but left nine runners on base. Crooks was 1-for-4 with two runs scored.

For the Valiants, Alby Ciuffetelli went 6.1 innings on the mound with five runs against (three earned) and one punch out. Danny Meduri finished the game and earned the win with just one hit and no runs allowed. Matero finished 2-for-3 with three runs scored and Hathaway Roper was also 2-for-3 at the dish and crossed the plate twice.