Jessie McDonough made a diving catch on the warning track in left center field to preserve the Misericordia University softball team's 3-1 win over DeSales in the opening round of the MAC Freedom Championships, Friday afternoon at King's.

DeSales had the tying run at the plate in the bottom of the seventh inning, but McDonough ended the threat and the game with a diving grab in front of the fence.

Jordan Hoffman scattered five hits and didn't allow an earned run to get the win.  She helped her cause with two hits, including a double.

Ciara DeLong, Amanda Butera and Maddie Holub all added two hits.  Butera, Holub and Brianna Holder all drove in runs

DeLong opened the game with a double to deep left field and Butera followed with an infield single, but the Cougars stranded runners at second and third.

DeSales took advantage of an MU error to score its only run of the game in the bottom of the first inning.

The Cougars went in front with a pair of runs in the top of the second.

Kayla Stephani reached on a one-out error and went to third on Hoffman's double to right field.  Holub tied the game with an infield single and Butera drove in the go-ahead run with a two-out double to right field.

Misericordia added an insurance run in the fourth.  Holub and DeLong reached on infield singles and Butera was safe on a fielder's choice to load the bases.  Holder's sacrifice fly to right field gave the Cougars a 3-1 lead.

The Bulldogs put a runner in the bottom of the sixth inning, but MU's Raegan Mahoney ended the threat with a diving catch on a sinking line drive to right field to end the inning.

Holub made a diving grab on a soft liner to short center for the first out in the seventh.

The Cougars will play top-seeded Manhattanville at 2:15.