PURCHASE, NY – The No. 12 Manhattanville College softball team posted a pair of 9-1 victories over the Delaware Valley University Aggies, sweeping a MAC Freedom doubleheader Saturday, March 30, from Manhattanville Field.

Graduate student Alycia Feeney (Brewster, N.Y./Brewster) and senior Aarin Hartenstein (Massapequa, N.Y./Plainedge) allowed a combined four hits across the two games, striking out five batters each for Manhattanville (16-0, 6-0 MACF). Sophomore Brooke Franson (Newport Beach, Calif./Corona del Mar) finished the doubleheader 4-for-5 with a home run and four RBI's and senior Alexis Ventarola (Eastchester, N.Y./Eastchester) finished the twin-bill 2-4 with a home run and five RBI's.

GAME ONE: The first five Valiant batters reached against Delaware Valley (6-10, 2-4 MACF) starter Jamie Stefani in the bottom of the first. Sophomore Isela Casillas (Chula Vista, Calif./Eastlake) singled, freshman Giovanna Liggett (Fountain Valley, Calif./Edison) walked, senior Desiree Buboi (Villa Park, Calif./Orange Lutheran) singled home Casillas, senior Evonne Torres (Hacienda Heights, Calif./Pioneer) singled to load the bases and Hartenstein reached on an error, scoring Liggett. With two out and the bases still loaded, Ventarola doubled to left-center, clearing the bases. Franson followed with a double to right, plating Ventarola.

After a near-hour long stoppage due to an injury in the top of the third, the Aggies pushed across their only run of the game on a Valiants error. A double by sophomore Jordyn Boyd (Woodinville, Wash./Woodinville) and single by senior Sophia Chapelone (Carlsbad, Calif./La Costa Canyon) pushed Manhattanville's lead back to six, 7-1, in the bottom of the frame.

In the bottom of the sixth, Buboi singled and Torres walked to start the inning. A throwing error after a pop-up put freshman pinch-runners Jessaca Delgado (Whittier, Calif./El Rancho) and Julia Bucci (Rye Brook, N.Y./Blind Brook) in scoring position. After Boyd singled home Bucci, Chapelone drove in Delgado with an infield single, ending the game via the eight-run mercy rule.

GAME TWO: Manhattanville put three on the board in each of the first three innings. An RBI single from Liggett, an RBI groundout from Hartenstein and sacrifice fly from Boyd drove in the Valiants runs in the first.
After Chapelone led off the second with a single, Ventarola sent a moonshot over the centerfield fence for a 5-0 lead. Liggett drove in her second run of the game later in the inning, driving in Franson, who reached on an error and stole second.

With two on and one out in the third, Franson showed her power to all fields, launching an opposite field three-run shot over the wall in right-center field. Hartenstein, who retired the first 10 batters of the game, had her shutout spoiled with a home run in the top of the fifth, but the Valiants closed out their second straight mercy rule win nonetheless.

The Valiants are back in action tomorrow in a Top-15 duel against the No. 10 Ithaca College Bombers. The doubleheader gets underway at 2 p.m.