The Misericordia University baseball team split its doubleheader against Manhattanville, losing 5-4 and winning 12-3, but took the season series, Saturday at Tambur Field.

The Cougars dropped their opener against the Valiants. Kenny Jarema and Tyler Holzapfel tallied the team's two RBI while Steve Weisensee and Holzapfel both went 2-for-4 at the plate.

Tom Jacob opened the game for the Cougars with a 10 pitch 1-2-3 first inning, which featured two strikeouts. Misericordia's offense then responded in the bottom half of the inning with two runs.

Kenny Jarema opened the first inning with a single to left field. The senior advanced to third base and later scored on a Brady Madden two-out strikeout wild pitch. Holzapfel then doubled to left center field to score Madden and expand the team's early lead, 2-0.

Manhattanville scored five unanswered runs in the third and fourth innings to take a 5-2 lead. However, the Cougars were able to get two runs back in the bottom of the inning.

Billy Kerwien, Shane Hughes and Conor Smith opened the inning with three-straight singles. Kerwien scored on a wild pitch in the following at bat while Hughes touched home on a Jarema sacrafice fly, 5-4.

The Cougars were able to get runners into scoring position during the fifth and sixth innings, but couldn't plate the tying run.

Jacob pitched six innings with four earned runs and five strikeouts. First-year pitcher, Jared Kay threw one shutout inning of relief with one strikeout.

Misericordia's offense exploded for 12 runs in the series finale. Hughes continued to swing a hot bat with two hits, three RBI and a home run. Jarema and Weisensee added two RBI, while Jarema expanded his on-base streak to 20 consecutive games.

Kerwien, Santo Guinta, Sean Lyons and Sean Boylan each added one RBI for the Cougars.

Manhattanville plated the game's first run, but the Cougars answered with four consecutive runs in the second and third innings.

In the second inning, Hughes plated the Cougars' first run with a solo home run to left field. Lyons later gave the team its first lead with a sacrifice fly to right field, which scored Guinta, who hustled to third base on a triple to right-center field in the team's previous at bat.

Misericordia added two more runs in the third inning to go ahead 4-1. With runners on second and third, Hughes brought home the first run after reaching base on an error in the outfield. Hughes then got caught in a run-down while attempting to steal second base, which allowed Madden to take home.

Manhattanville got one run back in the fourth inning with their third home run of the afternoon, 4-2. Jack Matero homered in both games while Stephen Merrill added one in game two.

The Cougars bounced back with six runs in the fourth inning. Boylan and Jarema reached base and plated the inning's first two runs on consecutive squeeze bunts, 6-2.

Kerwien drove home another run with a bloop single down the right field line. Moments later, Weisensee added two more runs with a single to left field while Hughes hustled out a one-run single to first base to put the Cougars up 10-2.

The Cougars capped off the game with two sacrifice flies from Jarema and Guinta in the fifth and sixth innings, respectively.

Alejandro Santiago pitched five innings and earned the win for Misericordia. The first-year pitcher surrendered three runs and struck out two batters.

Zach Mason made his first appearance since Mar. 17 against Wilkes University. The senior struck out the side with a 13-pitch sixth inning and generated five swinging strikes. Taylor Price closed out the game for the Cougars with a 1-2-3 seventh inning.

Misericordia improved to 22-9 overall with an 11-4 MAC Freedom mark. The Cougars will host King's College, Wednesday.