Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 The Misericordia University softball team earned an important doubleheader sweep over Freedom Conference foe Wilkes University on Saturday afternoon, securing a spot in the Freedom Conference Championships.
 
The Cougars picked up a 1-0 victory in the opener and snuck away with an 8-7 victory in the finale.
 
Megan Hardy crushed a solo home run to left-center to give MU the 1-0 lead while also making the difference in the game. Hardy's 11^th homer of the year tied the record for most home runs in a single season. She also finished the day 3-3 while Diana Kestenbaum was 1—2 with a triple.
 
Bailee Schies dominated in the circle, tossing a complete game while allowing just three hits and striking out seven en route to the victory.
 
Wilkes jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top half of the first inning, but the Cougars responded with five runs in the home half to take the lead. Kristi Seiler got the scoring started with an RBI single right back up the middle and Andi Veneziale crushed a grand slam to left field later in the inning.
 
MU picked up another run in the third when Kasey Miller scored from third on a groundout off the bat of Melanie Quintanilla. Sam hare roped a two-run single right back up the middle to give the Cougar an 8-4 lead after five innings of play.
 
Wilkes made things interesting in the top half of the seventh, scoring three runs to tighten the lead to 8-7, but Hardy caught Lacey Bixler trying to steal second base to end the game.
 
The Cougars lone senior, Jess Armillay, picked up the win in the circle tossing five innings and striking out one on Senior Appreciation Day.
 
Quintanilla led the Cougars at the plate with four hits while Sam Hare and Seiler had three and Melissa Parker had two.
 
The Cougars are back in action Monday at Keystone College at 3:00 p.m.