Boxscore

PURCHASE, N.Y. – In the midst of a seven-game losing streak and with a playoff berth suddenly no longer a given, senior Samantha Howe (Wappingers Falls, N.Y./John Jay) was masterful in tossing a five-hit shutout and classmate Lindsay Zekus (Sleepy Hollow, N.Y./Sleepy Hollow) drove in the game's only run in the bottom of the eighth inning as Manhattanville outlasted Misericordia, 1-0 (8 inn.), in a key Freedom Conference softball battle on a sunny Monday afternoon at Manhattanville Field.

The win was huge for the Valiants in the Freedom Conference standings, as Manhattanville (11-13, 8-4 Freedom) moves into sole possession of second place with two Freedom games remaining and now needs just one win or one Misericordia (16-14, 6-6 Freedom) loss to clinch a berth in the postseason for the second straight year.

In a classic pitchers' duel between Howe and the Cougars' Caitlin Cromley that was reminiscent of the 11-inning contest played in Purchase on April 16, both pitchers spun gems and kept the opposition off balance all game long. Neither team recorded a hit until a single by Howe in the bottom of the fourth inning, and no runner reached third base until the game-ending hit in the bottom of the eighth.

The winning rally came with two outs for Manhattanville, as sophomore Amanda Locke (Brasher Falls, N.Y./St. Lawrence Central) laced a single to center field after getting herself into an 0-2 count. Zekus then stepped up and lined the first pitch she saw over the right fielder's head, and Locke raced around the bases to just barely get in before the tag of catcher Nicole Boccia.

The run made a very deserving winner out of Howe (10-9), who was excellent for the Valiants in the circle. The senior righthander scattered five hits and struck out eight in earning her third shutout of the season, moving her over 100 strikeouts for the second time in her career. Cromley (11-8) suffered the tough-luck loss for the Cougars, allowing just one run on five hits with nine strikeouts in 7.2 innings.

Valiant sophomore Jessica Van Galen (Bedford Hills, N.Y./Fox Lane) and Misericordia's Amanda Polaha were the only players to record multiple hits on the day, as Van Galen went 2 for 3 with a pair of doubles and Polaha had two of her team's five singles in three trips to the plate.

Manhattanville will take a break from Freedom Conference play on Wednesday, as the Valiants travel to Kean University for a 3 p.m. non-conference doubleheader. Misericordia travels to Neumann University for a non-league twinbill on Wednesday also at 3 p.m.