In the first game, MVNU (33-19) jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. Junior first baseman Travis McInerney got the scoring under way with a one-out, RBI-single up the middle. Freshman outfielder Chaz Gibson (left) followed with a three-run homer - his team-leading seventh - to left center.

The visiting Warriors (20-19) got a run back in the top of the third inning on a solo home run by Roy Diliberto with one out to cut the lead to 4-1. However, freshman shortstop Clint Yoder led off the bottom of the third with a home run and two outs later Gibson doubled in another run as the Cougars’ lead grew to 6-1.

MVNU tacked on four more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to go up 10-1. Sophomore catcher Ricardo Rodriguez drove in two runs with a two-out, two-run single to left center. Freshman outfielder Jeff Estep later scored on a wild pitch, and junior outfielder Kodi Veale drove in the final run of the inning with his team-leading fifth triple of the year.

A two-out double down the leftfield line by P.J. Rodriguez closed the gap to 10-2 for Nyack, but that was as close as the Warriors would get as the Cougars prevailed to take the first game.

Senior right-hander Jason Decker (6-6) (right) picked up the win on the mound for MVNU as he became only the 14th pitcher in the Cougars’ pitching-rich history to reach the 20-win mark for his career while tossing his team-leading seventh complete game of the year. He allowed just five hits and two runs while striking out a career-high nine batters with no walks.

Kevin Earlie (4-2) suffered the loss for Nyack as he gave up eight hits, one walk, and six runs in just 2.2 innings of work with three strikeouts. Pierre Crespo tossed the final 3.1 innings and scattered nine hits, one walk, and four runs with one strikeout.

Meanwhile, the MVNU offense pounded out 17 hits to account for the team’s 10 runs. Gibson, Yoder, and sophomore outfielder Steve Williams each had three hits with Gibson driving in four runs. Veale, McInerney, and Rodriguez also added two hits apiece.

Phil Messerian paced the Warriors with two hits, while Diliberto’s home run and Rodriguez’s double were the only extra base hits of the game for Nyack and produced the only two runs.

The second game was scoreless until the top of the third inning. With one out and the bases loaded, Veale hit a sacrifice fly to put the Cougars, who were the visitors in this game, on top 1-0. Then, on what should have been the third out of the inning, senior designated hitter Josh Estep hit a high pop-up that fell untouched about 18 inches from home plate as another run came around to score. Yoder followed with a two-run double to left center as MVNU took advantage of the extra out to build a 4-0 lead.

In the top of the fourth inning, the Cougars tacked on four more runs to take an 8-0 lead. Rodriguez had an RBI-single, Veale added a two-run single, and Yoder plated the final run with a run-scoring single of his own after Veale stole second base after escaping a rundown that involved six throws.

McInerney (left) extended the lead to 10-0 in the top of the fifth inning when he blasted a two-run homer - his first of the season and the second of his career - to straightaway centerfield. Josh Estep added an RBI-single in the top of the sixth inning and freshman outfielder Christian Gomes scored on a wild pitch in the top of the seventh inning as MVNU led 12-0 heading to the bottom of the seventh inning.

The Warriors made things interesting in the bottom of the seventh inning as Nyack sent nine batters to the plate, registered five hits, and scored five runs to pull within 12-5 before the final out was recorded. Christian Almonte drove in the first run with a single, while Messerian plated a run when he was hit by a pitch with the bases load. Cody Levins followed with a two-run double to rightfield, but Messerian was thrown out at the plate for the second out of the inning. After a run-scoring hit by Rodriguez, Michael Frank struck out swinging to end the game and send the Cougars to the NCCAA National Tournament.

Freshman right-hander Kyle Barr (3-1) went the distance on the mound for MVNU in just his second career start as he scattered 11 hits, one walk, and five runs over seven innings with four strikeouts to pick up the win.

Messerian (6-5) started and lasted just four innings as he gave up 10 hits, one walk, and eight runs with one strikeout. Mark Alicea worked one inning of relief and allowed three hits and two runs. Eric Lloyd tossed the final two innings and gave up four hits and two runs.

For the second straight game, the Cougars pounded out 17 hits with Yoder and McInerney both leading the way with three hits apiece. Veale, Williams, Rodriguez, Josh Estep, and freshman outfielder Jeff Estep added two hits each.

Meanwhile, Messerian, Levins, and Almonte registered two hits each for Nyack.

The Cougars will now advance to the 10-team NCCAA National Tournament that will get under way next Wednesday in Mason, Ohio. The bracket for the double elimination event that runs through next Saturday will be released by Monday.