MINNEOLA, Fla. – The Manhattanville College softball team wrapped up its week at the Spring Games on Wednesday morning, as the Valiants dropped a pair of close contests to Millsaps College, 4-2, and Plattsburgh State University, 5-4, at the Minneola Athletic Complex.
 
Senior Brittany Deieso (Brewster, N.Y./Brewster) had the best day at the plate of any Valiant, going 4-for-5 with a run batted in and a run scored in the two games. Freshman Melina Strano (Brewster, N.Y./Brewster) led Manhattanville (5-7) with two RBIs in the two games.
 
Game One – Millsaps 4, Manhattanville 2
 
In the first game of the day, Millsaps scored three runs in the top of the second and Manhattanville could never recover in a 4-2 loss. Deieso had half of the Valiants' six hits in the contest, going 3-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored.
 
The Majors struck for three runs on five hits in the top of the second inning, with Kaitlyn Casias connecting on a big two-out, two-run double to score a pair and Kat Romero adding an RBI single after that. Manhattanville got single runs back in the third and fourth innings on RBI base hits from sophomore Desiree Buboi (Villa Park, Calif./Orange Lutheran) and Deieso to get back within a run, but the Valiants managed only one hit over the final three frames.
 
Junior Alycia Feeney (Brewster, N.Y./Brewster) suffered the loss for Manhattanville, allowing all four runs on nine hits while striking out four in seven innings.
 
Game Two – Plattsburgh State 5, Manhattanville 4
 
Manhattanville grabbed an early two-run lead in the second game of the day against Plattsburgh State and still led in the top of the fifth, but a pair of unearned runs gave the Cardinals the lead for good in a 5-4 loss. Strano and sophomore Alexa Grniet (Morristown, N.J./Morristown) both had two hits for Manhattanville in the game with Strano accounting for three of the team's four runs with two RBIs and a run scored.
 
Manhattanville struck first in the second with a pair of runs, coming on RBI singles from junior Laurel Coito (San Diego, Calif./Cathedral Catholic) and Grniet. Plattsburgh came back with two in the third and one in the fourth to take the lead back, but the Valiants responded with two more in the top of the fifth thanks to a clutch two-out, two-run double off the bat of Strano to put Manhattanville up 4-3.
 
However, Plattsburgh responded in kind with two in the bottom of the fifth and Manhattanville could not deliver the game-tying run over the final two innings.
 
Freshman Melissa Hess (Philadelphia, Pa./Saint Hubert Catholic) got the start in game two but did not figure in the decision, allowing two runs on five hits over the first three innings. Sophomore Aarin Hartenstein (Massapequa, N.Y./Plainedge) entered in relief in the fourth inning and suffered the loss, ceding three runs (one earned) on four hits over the final three innings.
 
Due to snow in the area from yesterday's storm, this weekend's MAC Freedom opener against Misericordia University is expected to be postponed. Check GoValiants.com and follow Manhattanville Athletics on Twitter and Facebook to stay up-to-date on all potential schedule changes for this weekend and beyond.