Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 PURCHASE, N.Y. – The Manhattanville softball team made an early-season statement in its 2012 Freedom Conference opener on Wednesday afternoon, sweeping defending champion King's (Pa.) by the scores of 2-0 and 5-3 in a conference doubleheader at Manhattanville Field.

A trio of juniors played huge roles in the Valiant victories, which helped to avenge a loss to the Lady Monarchs in the Freedom Conference championship game a year ago. Alyssa Taylor (Craik, Sask./Craik) started both games in the circle and tossed 11 innings without allowing an earned run. At the plate, Katie Pitcher (Cold Spring, N.Y./Valley Central) went 4 for 6 with three runs batted in, including a walk-off homer in the bottom of the seventh in game two, while Jessica Van Galen (Bedford Hills, N.Y./Fox Lane) went 2 for 2 and scored twice to kick start the Valiant offense in the second game.

Game one belonged completely to Taylor in the circle, as the righthander bottled up a potent King's offense and allowed just three hits in a complete-game shutout. She mostly cruised her way through the Monarch lineup that came in averaging more than 11 runs per game, allowing a first-inning single and then setting down 11 of the next 12 Monarchs.

Meanwhile, Manhattanville struck for two runs against King's starter Brittany Haight in the bottom of the third to open the scoring. Junior Brianna Scapperotti (Harrison, N.Y./Harrison) started the rally with a leadoff single and, after moving to third on a sacrifice bunt and a single from classmate Lynsey Schill (Waterloo, Ont./St. David Catholic), came home on another single by Pitcher. Taylor followed and doubled the Valiant lead with another single, scoring Schill and giving herself a two-run cushion.

That lead was more than enough for Taylor (1-3), who allowed only one runner to reach third base and none after the first inning. She finished the game allowing just three hits and striking out three to pick up her first win of the year.

Pitcher and Taylor both went 2 for 3 with a run batted in for the Valiants, while four other players had one hit for the home team. Haight (3-1) suffered the loss for King's, allowing two runs on seven hits in 4.2 innings of work.

The game two had a little more scoring and a few more lead changes, but despite some late drama the result did not change as the Valiants emerged with a 5-3 walk-off win.

The Valiants struck first again in the bottom of the second, led off by a single from Van Galen. Sophomore Shauna Mulkerin (Branchburg, N.J./Immaculata) pinch ran and promptly stole second base on the first pitch, and came home on a single to center by senior Ashley Dell (Huntington Station, N.Y./Huntington).

King's took advantage of a Manhattanville error in the top of the fourth to plate a pair of unearned runs off Taylor and take their first lead of the game. But Manhattanville came right back and Van Galen again was the catalyst, working a 12-pitch walk to lead off the bottom of the fourth. After a wild pitch and a ground out, freshman Laura Montalto (Bronx, N.Y./Preston) drove her home with a single to center.

Manhattanville then went ahead for a second time in the bottom of the sixth, and – surprise – it was Van Galen again leading off with a double halfway up the wall in right-center. After two outs moved Van Galen just one base, freshman Danielle DeAndrea (Mamaroneck, N.Y./Mamaroneck) delivered what seemed to be a game-winning single that scored a run and put the home team three outs away from a sweep.

But the Valiant defense betrayed freshman righthander Kristen Rodopoulos (Scarsdale, N.Y./The Ursuline School) in the top of the seventh, as two errors allowed King's to tie the score. But things could have been much worse if not for a huge double play to end the frame, as Amanda Cardone grounded out to shortstop and Van Galen gunned down Jenn Harnischfeger at the plate to keep the game tied.

With some momentum restored after the big defensive play, Schill poked a one-out single up the middle to set the stage for Pitcher, who launched an Annie Erndl offering deep over the center-field fence for the game-winner.

Rodopoulos (2-3) earned the win in relief, allowing one unearned run on two hits in three innings of relief. Taylor got the start again and allowed two unearned runs on three hits in four frames. Erndl (3-3) took the loss for the Lady Monarchs, allowing five runs on nine hits and seven strikeouts in 6.1 innings.

Manhattanville (5-6, 2-0 Freedom) will look to keep the momentum going on Saturday, as the Valiants travel to Dallas, Pa., to take on Misericordia for two games beginning at 1 p.m. King's (10-4, 0-2 Freedom) will travel to Eastern on Saturday at 1 p.m.