The Misericordia University softball team split a doubleheader with Manhattanville, Saturday afternoon at Anderson Field.

MU won game one by a score of 17-3 (5 inn.) when Amanda Polaha went 4-4 with three RBI and Caitlin Cromley drove in three and scored three runs.

The Cougars jumped on the board early when Mallory Getts ripped a lead-off triple to left field.  Polaha singled up the middle to drive in Getts and take a 1-0 lead after one. 

The Valliants answered with three runs in the top of the second, but MU came back swinging in the bottom of the inning.  With Megan Hardy on third and one out, Jennifer Cory singled to center field and scored Hardy to pull within one.  Jill Castaldi singled up the middle and Cory scored on an error by the center fielder.  With Castaldi at third and Getts at first, Polaha laid down a squeeze bunt to score Castaldi and advance Getts to second.  With two outs, Kat LaBrie singled through the right side to Score Cromley and cap off a five-run third inning.

In the ensuing inning with runners on first and second and one out, Getts drove a ball to the outfield to score Cory and put runners on the corners. Polaha singled through the right side to score Castaldi.  LaBrie doubled to score Polaha and Hardy singled up the middle to score LaBrie and Cromley to make it 12-3 after three.

Castaldi hit a home run to right field to begin the bottom of the fourth. Cromley added another RBI and Samantha Hare singled through the right side to score two and make it 17-3 after five innings of play.

Manhattanville took the nightcap, 4-2, despite a late rally by MU.  Polaha went 2-3 with two RBI and Caitlin Cromley was 2-4 and pitched seven innings with five strikeouts. 

MU found themselves in a 4-0 hole going into the bottom of the seventh.  With two outs and runners on first and second, Polaha doubled to right field to score Getts and Castaldi, but MU's rally ended there. 

The Cougars will be in action again when they host Lycoming, tomorrow at 1:00.