The first game of the day pitted the top two seeds in the tournament in their ninth meeting of the season with the season series knotted at 4-4 entering the game. MVNU (38-21), the No. 2 seed, got on the scoreboard in the top of the first inning with a pair of two-out runs for a 2-0 lead. Junior pitcher/second baseman Josh Estep plated the first run with an RBI-double just inside the rightfield line down in the corner, and sophomore catcher Travis McInerney (left) added a run-scoring single to right center.

The Cougars tacked on two more two-out runs in the top of the third inning as senior third baseman Richey Burgos and Estep reached on back-to-back singles and moved up on a wild pitch. Senior outfielder Marc Hadley followed with a two-run single into right center as MVNU’s lead grew to 4-0.

The lead grew to 7-0 in the top of the fourth inning as the Cougars scored three more two-out runs. Senior outfielder Garret Shivley drove in sophomore outfielder Kodi Veale with an infield single to third, Burgos followed with an RBI-double, and the final run came in when Estep’s ground ball to short was booted by Pioneer shortstop Scott McIlvain.

MVNU closed out the scoring in the top of the sixth inning on a lead-off home run by Shivley - his second of the year - and a two-out RBI-single by McInerney to make it 9-0.

While the Cougars’ offense was busy pounding out 17 hits, Estep (right) was even more impressive on the mound for MVNU. The right-hander allowed just six singles in posting his first career shutout with a career-high seven strikeouts and no walks to improve to 6-1. It was also only the second time that top-seeded Malone (41-15) has been shut out this year as the Pioneers, who were ranked No. 22 in the final NAIA poll and have set a new school record for wins in a season, are averaging 6.6 runs per game. In four games against Malone this season, Estep is now 3-0 with one save and a 1.12 ERA.

Burgos led the Cougars’ offensive attack by going 4-for-4 with three runs scored. McInerney was 3-for-3 with two RBI, while Estep went 3-for-4. Veale and Shivley also had two hits apiece with Shivley driving in two runs and scoring twice. Meanwhile, Troy Richeson collected two of the Pioneers’ six hits.

Zach Winkhart (6-1) took the loss for Malone - his first of the year - as he allowed 10 hits, two walks, two wild pitches, and seven runs (six earned) in just 3.2 innings with two strikeouts. Josh McKiever gave up seven hits and two runs over 2.1 innings with two strikeouts, and Ryan Hartong tossed one scoreless inning of relief.

With four teams remaining in the tournament at that point, the bracket was adjusted so that teams would not face teams they had played previously in the tournament. With that requirement, MVNU squared off with No. 5 seed Indiana Wesleyan (31-23) in what was an elimination game for the Wildcats.

As they had done in their three previous games in the tournament, the Cougars got on the scoreboard in their first trip to the plate as MVNU scored two runs in the bottom of the first inning after Indiana Wesleyan failed to score in the top of the inning. Senior shortstop Ross Yoder singled up the middle, stole second after the first out was recorded, and then came in to score the first run on Burgos’ (left) single when the throw to first sailed wide. Hadley later added an RBI-single as the Cougars took a 2-0 lead.

The Wildcats battled back to knot the score at 2-2 in the top of the third inning when Shay Harden and Nicholas Millspaugh hit back-to-back one-out doubles for the first run and a sacrifice fly from Brandon Beachy for the second run.

Indiana Wesleyan took a 3-2 lead in the top of the fourth inning when Jeff Pierce drew a one-out walk and came in to score on a triple to rightfield by Kory Hollensteiner. Following a pitching change for MVNU, Hollensteiner was caught in a rundown and tagged out when a suicide squeeze attempt was missed and freshman lefty Andy Podolak registered a strikeout to end the inning.

The Wildcats took advantage of some control issues by Podolak and sophomore right-hander Michael King in the top of the fifth inning to plate four runs and extend their lead to 7-2 as Indiana Wesleyan drew four walks - two with the bases loaded - and registered three hits including a two-run single by Beachy. The damage could have been worse, but Ben Zachary grounded into a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning.

Trailing for the first time in four games in the tournament, the Cougars tried to get back in the game. With one out in the bottom of the sixth inning, Estep (right) singled up the middle and Hadley drew a walk. McInerney followed with an RBI-double down the leftfield line to close the gap to 7-3. However, with runners at second and third, sophomore first baseman popped out to shallow center and Veale flied out to end MVNU’s threat.

That would prove to be the Cougars’ final threat as Indiana Wesleyan held on for the 7-3 victory to stay alive in the tournament and hand MVNU its first loss.

Freshman right-hander Caleb Wright (5-3) suffered the loss as he started and gave up eight hits, one walk, and three runs over 3.1 innings with three strikeouts. Podolak gave up three hits, two walks, and four runs in one inning of work with one strikeout, while King allowed two walks in 1.2 innings. Senior right-hander Jason Barber also tossed a perfect inning with one strikeout.

Kyle Mock (3-4) picked up the win for the Wildcats as he started and scattered eight hits, two walks, and three runs over 5.1 innings with three strikeouts. Tim Pauley tossed the final 1.2 innings and retired all five batters that he faced.

Estep went 2-for-2 with a double to lead the Cougars, while Parks and McInerney added a double apiece. Millspaugh went 3-for-4 with two runs to lead Indiana Wesleyan, while Beachy and Ryan Moore both had two hits with Beachy driving in three runs.

Despite the loss, MVNU had already secured a spot in the championship game of the tournament with the win over Malone earlier in the day. The Cougars will now wait to see who they will play at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday as two games will take place prior to that game. Malone and Chowan were slated to play at 7:00 p.m. on Friday with the winner advancing to face Indiana Wesleyan at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday. The winner of that game would face MVNU for the NCCAA national title.

The Cougars, who will be looking for their unprecedented sixth NCCAA national championship, last played in the title game in 1999 when they captured the title. MVNU also won NCCAA championships in 1989, 1995, 1996, and 1997.

All the action of the NCCAA national championship game will be carried live at http://wnzr.fm/sports.html with James Mummert and Dave Parsons handling the play-by-play and color commentary duties.