Boxscore

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. – Senior Lindsay Zekus (Sleepy Hollow, N.Y./Sleepy Hollow) was perfect at the plate, going 4 for 4 as the fourth-seeded Manhattanville softball team staved off elimination with a 3-2 victory over second-seeded FDU-Florham in game four of the 2011 Freedom Conference Softball Tournament, held at King's (Pa.) College's Betzler Athletic Complex on Saturday morning.

Manhattanville (15-17, 8-6 Freedom) lives to see another couple hours and will return to action at approximately 11:15 a.m. in another elimination contest against top-seeded DeSales University. FDU-Florham (14-19, 9-5 Freedom) is eliminated from the tournament with the defeat.

The Manhattanville bats woke up early on a cool Saturday morning, as the Valiants pounded out 11 hits in the seven innings. Zekus was right in the middle of that, going 4 for 4 with a homer, two runs batted in and a run scored from the top of the order. Seven Valiants in total had at least one hit, with senior Nicole Bifulco (Howard Beach, N.Y./St. Francis Prep) also going 2 for 4 at the dish and sophomore Jessica Van Galen (Bedford Hills, N.Y./Fox Lane) launching a homer.

Meanwhile, senior righthander Samantha Howe (Wappingers Falls, N.Y./John Jay) limited the FDU bats to just two runs on six hits to keep the Valiants alive. Howe (13-12) struck out just two, but utilized her fielders to the tune of 11 groundouts and eight flyouts to give Manhattanville its first-ever win in the Freedom Conference Tournament.

After one hit in the first and second innings off FDU starter Megan McInaw, the Valiants got on the scoreboard in the third as Zekus led off with a shot over the left-field fence. Two batters later, Van Galen doubled the lead by sending another ball deep over the fence for her fifth long ball of the year.

Howe got into her first trouble of the game in the fifth inning, when the Devils loaded the bases with one out. After an infield grounder got the second out at the plate, FDU catcher Sarah Lima lined a single to center field that plated a pair and knotted the score at two after five frames.

But the Manhattanville offense picked Howe up in its next plate appearance, getting one in the top of the sixth. Sophomore Kim Angiolillo (White Plains, N.Y./Good Counsel Academy) led off the frame with a sharp single through the left side, and sophomore pinch runner Erin Sidjak (Delta, British Columbia/Burnsview) made it to third base with one down on a passed ball and a nicely executed sacrifice bunt by sophomore Brianna Scapperotti (Harrison, N.Y./Harrison). Zekus then remained red hot with a single to left that scored Sidjak with the go-ahead run and eventual game-winner.

McInaw did not figure in the decision, leaving after allowing two runs on five hits in three innings. Karla Babb (3-6) took the loss, allowing one unearned run on six hits in four frames.