Box Score EDWARDSVILLE, Pa. – The third-seeded Manhattanville softball team fell behind by six runs after two innings and could never get back into the game as the Valiants were eliminated from the 2013 Freedom Conference Tournament by fourth-seeded FDU-Florham, 6-2, on Saturday afternoon at Wilkes' Ralston Athletic Complex.
 
FDU-Florham (22-19) advances to the championship round of the tournament, where the Devils will need to defeat top-seeded DeSales twice to take home the conference title. Manhattanville (22-19) has its season come to a close with the Valiants' second loss of the weekend.
 
Senior Brianna Scapperotti (Harrison, N.Y./Harrison) had a good game at the plate, going 3 for 4 with an RBI and a run scored, while classmates Jessica Van Galen (Bedford Hills, N.Y./Fox Lane) and Katie Pitcher (Cold Spring, N.Y./Valley Central) and junior Alyssa Taylor (Craik, Sask./Craik) all had two hits each.
 
The game did not start well for the Valiants, as FDU seemingly carried the momentum from its comeback win over King's into the next contest. The first three Devils reached base against sophomore Kristen Rodopoulos (Scarsdale, N.Y./The Ursuline School) in the top of the first, and Wynne McCann sent them all home with a grand slam to make it 4-0 after just four batters.
 
The Devils again used the long ball to inflict more damage in the second, as Sarah Lima sent a two-run homer over the fence to put the Valiants into a huge hole down 6-0 after two innings.
 
Manhattanville got one run back in the bottom of the third on an RBI single by Pitcher, but the damage could have been much worse if not for a nice running catch by centerfielder Nicole Decker on a rocket to the wall by Van Galen earlier in the frame. The Valiants got another run back in the fourth on a Scapperotti run-scoring single, but that was all they could muster for that inning and for the rest of the game.
 
The story of the day for the Valiants was missed opportunities, as Manhattanville left 11 runners on base and had several hard-hit balls that were turned into outs by the Devil defense.
 
Rodopoulos (7-11) suffered the loss, allowing all six runs on only three hits in 1.2 innings. Taylor was brilliant in relief, scattering three hits and striking out six in 5.1 scoreless innings, but the Valiants could not overcome a slow start to the game.
 
Sydney Worek (12-10) earned the win in the circle for FDU, allowing two runs on seven hits in 4.1 innings, while Karla Babb pitched the final 2.2 innings without allowing a run to pick up the save.
 
The game marks the final collegiate appearance for Manhattanville's four seniors: Pitcher, Scapperotti, Van Galen and Kim Angiolillo (White Plains, N.Y./Good Counsel Academy).