The Misericordia University baseball team grabbed a big win in the opener but couldn't hold on in game two as they split a doubleheader with Freedom Conference leader FDU-Florham, Saturday at Anderson Field.

The Cougars are now 4-8 in the Freedom standings with three-game sets against DeSales, Delaware Valley and Eastern still to play.

MU took game one thanks in large part to the work of starting pitcher Jamie Philippi, who scattered three hits, one walk and two runs over seven innings. The senior did not allow a hit after the second inning.

Four Misericordia players went 2-for-3 from the plate in the opener: Anthony Goncalves (who scored twice), Nate Newman, Andrew Tressa and Bubba Jasinski.

After FDU's Joey Santillo opened the scoring with a two-run homer, MU grabbed the lead in the bottom of the third.

Nate Hamlin led off with a walk, Goncalves singled and Newman hustled out an infield hit, scoring Hamlin. Kenny Durling bunted in Goncalves on a full count and Tressa singled in another run to give Misericordia a 3-2 advantage.

MU grabbed two insurance runs in the bottom of the fourth as Andrew Yasinski scored on a two-out error and Goncalves trotted home after an FDU balk.

The Cougars gave themselves a chance for a big double-victory in game two, going ahead 3-1 after four innings.

Down 1-0, Jasinski launched a homer to left field in the bottom of the second. In the third, Newman tripled in Goncalves before being brought home by Tressa for a 3-1 lead.

But FDU-Florham answered with three in the top of the fifth, before grabbing a pair of insurance runs in the seventh.

Tressa went 2-for-3 from the plate to lead the Cougars. Pat Clark allowed four runs and seven hits in 4-1/3 innings pitched.

For the Devils, Nick Core homered and Marc Hubbert went 2-for-4 with two RBIs.

MU is 14-10 overall and will travel to Albright on Tuesday.