The Misericordia University softball team advanced to the MAC Freedom semifinals with a doubleheader sweep over Delaware Valley, 8-0, 11-3, Saturday afternoon at Anderson Field.

Nikki Elliott had three hits and three RBI to back the two-hit, nine strikeout performance of Alexa McHugh in the opener.  Brianna Holder and Megan Fenstermaker both had two hits and an RBI.

Elliott and Holder both homered and Fenstermaker had a triple.

In the nightcap, Elliott had three hits and four RBI and Kaitlin Redling and Amanda Butera had two hits each.

Elliott had a pair of doubles and Butera had a double and a triple while Megan Murphy added a double.

Emily Wenner struck out four in 4.1 innings to earn the win as the Cougars improved to 21-4.

In game one, the Cougars got all the runs they would need in the bottom of the first inning.

Maddie Holub drew a one-out walk in the bottom of the first and moved up on Elliott's soft liner over shortstop.  After a double steal, Holub scored the first run on a wild pitch.

MU went up 2-0 in the third and added three runs in the fourth.

In the third inning, Elliott reached via hit by pitch and advanced on Bohn's single through the middle.  Amanda Butera followed with an RBI-single up the middle to make it 2-0.

Holder lined a single to left to open the fourth and pinch-runner Emma Griffin stole second.  Fentersmaker lined a triple to the fence in center field and Zariah Alvin followed with a sacrifice fly to make it 4-0.  One out later, Elliott lined a homer down the left field line.

Holder hit a long homer to left center to lead off the sixth inning and Alvin laced a one-out single down the left field line.

Holub was hit by a pitch and both runners moved up on a wild pitch and came home with the game-ending runs on Elliott's single up the middle.

In game two, Butera tripled to right field and scored on a throwing error to lead off the second inning.  Redling singled and reached second on an error before scoring on a ground out to make it 2-0.

Elliott had an RBI-double and Redling added a two-run single to highlight a six-run third inning.

Delaware Valley scored three in the top of the fifth to keep the game alive, but Elliott ended with a three-run double to left center.

The Cougars will host King's in the MAC Freedom semifinals, Saturday.