Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 DALLAS, Pa. – The Manhattanville softball team shook off a tough game-one loss to post a 4-2 victory over Misericordia in game two and salvage a split of a key Freedom Conference doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at Anderson Field. The Cougars took the first game, 17-3 in five innings.

Game two was certainly the more positive of the outings for Manhattanville in a battle of the top-two teams standings-wise in the Freedom Conference. The Valiants managed only six hits, yet were able to score once in four different frames to post the 4-2 win.

Junior Katie Pitcher (Cold Spring, N.Y./Valley Central) was the beneficiary of those four runs, as the righthander was able to limit Misericordia to just two runs on six hits in a complete-game victory. Pitcher (3-0) struck out two and walked two in earning her third straight win to begin her Valiant career.

Pitcher also made a contribution at the plate, going 1 for 4 with a run batted in and a run scored. Senior Ashley Dell (Huntington Station, N.Y./Huntington) had two hits while also driving in a run and scoring once, while junior Jessica Van Galen (Bedford Hills, N.Y./Fox Lane) also had a hit and an RBI in the win.

After a disappointing first game, Manhattanville got right to work in the top of the first of game two, as Pitcher laced a one-out double to center and came home on a two-out base hit by Van Galen. In the circle, Pitcher danced in and out of trouble in the first three frames, stranding a total of five runners, but still kept the visitors in front.

The Valiants got one more in the fourth courtesy of a two-out rally, as Dell and freshman Laura Montalto (Bronx, N.Y./Preston) had singles to keep the inning alive for freshman Danielle DeAndrea (Mamaroneck, N.Y./Mamaroneck), who reached on an error to double the Valiant lead.

Manhattanville added on an unearned run in both the sixth and seventh innings, courtesy of a Dell double and an RBI fielder's choice from Pitcher. That turned out to be very necessary, as Misericordia struck for two runs with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, but Pitcher induced a ground out from her counterpart Caitlin Crowley to end the rally and give the Valiants the much-needed split.

Crowley (6-5) took the loss for Misericordia, allowing four runs (two earned) on six hits in seven innings.

The first game of the day was not so good for Manhattanville, as Misericordia scored at least five times in three of their four at-bats on the way to a 17-3 (5 inn.) win.

Manhattanville was actually up by a 3-1 score after an inning and a half, as the Valiants scored three times in the top of the second to take a lead. DeAndrea singled to left field to tie the score at one, and junior Lynsey Schill (Waterloo, Ont./St. David Catholic) eventually followed with a two-run double that put the Valiants up for the first time.

But that lead was quickly erased thanks to five Cougar runs in the bottom half of the frame, as the home team batted around against junior Alyssa Taylor (Craik, Sask./Craik). Things did not get better for the Valiant relievers in the following innings, as Misericordia plated six more in the third off freshman Kristen Rodopoulos (Scarsdale, N.Y./The Ursuline School) and five in the fourth off of classmate Marissa DeGaetano (Yorktown, N.Y./Lakeland).

Misericordia finished the first game with 17 runs on 17 hits, while four Valiant errors allowed for nine unearned runs to cross the plate. Taylor (1-4) suffered the loss, allowing six runs (five earned) on seven hits in just 1.1 innings of work. Crowley earned the game-one win for the Cougars, allowing three unearned runs on six hits in five frames.

Manhattanville (6-7, 3-1 Freedom) was scheduled to play tomorrow against Staten Island, but that doubleheader has been cancelled due to rain. The Valiants will now return to action on Wednesday, when the Valiants host Kean for two games beginning at 3 p.m. Misericordia (10-8, 3-1 Freedom) is scheduled to host Lycoming tomorrow at 1 p.m.