Mallory Getts went 3-3 in game one and Caitlin Cromley had a strong day on the mound as the Misericordia University softball team split a pair of Freedom Conference games with FDU-Florham, winning game one 2-1 and falling 5-0 in game two on Saturday afternoon at Anderson Field.
 
The Devils (9-9, 4-2) jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first despite failing to register a single hit. Jenna Appello walked to start the inning and then stole second. She advanced to third on a Brittney Wurst groundout and then beat out the throw to home as Sarah Lima reached on a fielder's choice.
 
The Cougars (5-13, 1-5) threatened in the bottom of the first, as Jenn Cory was hit by a pitch and then moved to third on a sac bunt and a wild pitch, but Devils' pitcher Karla Babb got back-to-back popups to keep her squad on top.
 
MU would threaten once more in the bottom of the third when Getts and Cory opened the frame with consecutive singles. The Cougars couldn't move the runners around, though, and FDU preserved their lead into the fourth inning.
 
Cromley retired the side for the second time in the top of the fourth, and MU got on the board in the bottom of the inning with some help from Devils' miscues. Meg Hardy hit a leadoff single through the left side and moved to second on a Kat LaBrie sacrifice bunt. A Whitney Ellenberg single to center field would move Hardy to third and an FDU fielding error allowed Hardy to even the score at 1-1.
 
Getts' second single of the game placed runners on first and second, and Cory drew a full-count walk to load the bases. Amanda Polaha battled through her at bat to draw another walk, scoring Ellenberg and giving the Cougars a 2-1 lead.
 
FDU-Florham would threaten with a pair of two-out singles in the top of the sixth but a popup to Getts would end the inning.
 
The Devils would give it one last shot in the top of the seventh with one-out singles from Decker and Legotti, but Cromley struck out the final two batters to seal the Cougars' first Freedom Conference victory of the season.
 
Cromley (below) scattered five hits and one run over seven innings of action while striking out seven.
 

Babb took the loss for FDU, allowing seven hits and two runs (one earned) while striking out four and walking three.
 
In game two, the Cougar bats could never quite get it going, managing just two hits in the loss.
 
FDU threatened in the top of the first as the Cougars committed a pair of errors, but Wynne McCann lined out to Ellenberg to end the inning.
 
The Cougars also threatened in their half of the first, as Cory walked and Cromley reached on an error to give MU a pair of one-out baserunners. Once again, however, the Cougars couldn't advance the runners and the game remained scoreless through one.
 
The Devils would do all of their damage in the top of the third inning. Sydney Worek singled and advanced to second on a passed ball. An Appello groundout advanced Worek to third, and she would give FDU-Florham a 1-0 lead a moment later on a Wurst double to the center field fence.
 
Lima followed Wurst's double with a two-run home run to extend that lead to 3-0, and following a Maggie Murphy single, McCann added a two-run homer of her own to make the score 5-0.
 
That would be the end of the day for Jess Armillay on the mound, as she allowed five runs on five hits in two and one third innings. Caitlin Cromley moved from left field to the mound and promptly struck out a pair of batters to get the Cougars out of the inning.
 
From there, Cromley would do her job on the mound to give MU a chance, but the Cougar offense couldn't cut into the deficit.
 
Armillay would take the loss on the mound while Cromley allowed just two hits and struck out seven in four and two-thirds innings of scoreless action.
 
The Cougars turn around for another Freedom doubleheader at DeSales tomorrow afternoon at 1:00 PM.