The Misericordia University softball team earned the second split of their spring trip, Thursday in Melbourne, FL.
 
In the opening game, the Cougars edged Rose-Hulman, 11-10. Despite battling through nine innings,  MU fell to Houghton, 5-4.
 
Mackenzie Fizer's bat stayed hot in game one, as the junior drove in two runs on three hits, including a homer and a double. Kiersten Tinio recorded one RBI on three hits, while Rylee Nasso had a pair of RBI on one hit. Gianna Foreman hit a bases-clearing double in her only plate appearance of the game.
 
Gabby Cruz picked up her second win of the season, recording two strikeouts in the process. Sienna Lawson secured the save for MU in 2.2 innings of work.
 
Foreman led the Cougars' offense in the nightcap, collecting two RBI on a double. Avery Gleason raked a pair of doubles as well, while Kate Mager had a team-high three hits in four at-bats.
 
In the pitching circle, Morgan Kelly tossed nine strikeouts and only allowed three hits through six innings.
 
Fizer got the scoring started in the first game with a first-inning double to center that scored Doherty. In the second, Doherty stole second and drew a throw from the catcher, allowing Cruz to score from third as MU built their lead to 2-0.
 
Rose-Hulman put up five runs in the bottom half of the second to take a 5-2 lead.
 
Fizer sparked the Cougars' offense with a leadoff homer to left field to make it a 5-3 ballgame.
 
In the fifth, Misericordia took an 8-6 lead with an RBI single by Nasso and a bases-clearing pinch hit double by Foreman.
 
The Fightin' Engineers answered back with a run in the bottom of the fifth, cutting their deficit to one run.

Russo came around to score on a Tinio single in the sixth. Nasso crossed the plate on a wild pitch, giving MU a 10-7 lead.
 
Rose-Hulman hung around, scoring two more runs in the bottom half of the inning.
 
A bases-loaded walk for Casey Funesti put the Cougars up 11-9 and proved to be the game-winner, as Misericordia held the Fightin' Engineers to one run in the bottom of the seventh and won, 11-10.
 
MU took an early 1-0 lead in game two thanks to back-to-back doubles from Gleason and Foreman.
 
Houghton responded with one run in the second and two in the third to take a 3-1 lead.
 
In the bottom of the sixth, the Cougars picked up two runs off of errors to tie the game at 3-3.
 
The game remained knotted at 3-3 through the eight and a half innings, allowing the Highlanders to walk it off, 5-4.
 
Misericordia wraps up its time in the Sunshine State with a pair of games against Concordia University Chicago and John Carroll, Friday.