Box Score PURCHASE, N.Y. -- The FDU-Florham softball team dropped their first Freedom Conference game of the season by losing 11-2 to Manhattanville College on Saturday afternoon.
 
With the win, the Valiants improved to 5-6 on the season and 1-0 in conference play, while loss drops the Devils to 10-6 overall and 4-1 in Freedom Conference competition.

FDU-Florham held a 2-0 lead through the first three and a half innings, however, the tide quickly shifted as Manhattanville exploded for three runs in the bottom of the fourth and eight runs in the fifth inning to prevail with the victory.
 
Sophomore Wynne McCann (Boyertown, PA/ Boyertown Area) started the scoring with a long home run over the left field fence. McCann's home run raised her season total to four and she now has a team-leading 24 RBI on the season.
 
During the fourth inning, McCann scored on an attempted double steal as senior Kristie Crilley (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield) was thrown out trying to advance to second base. Unfortunately, this concluded the scoring for FDU-Florham on the afternoon and the Valiants were just getting started.
 
Manhattanville quickly tied the game in the home-fourth when Brittany Deieso roped a single that plated Kristen Savage and Alyssa Taylor. Soon after, the Valiants took the lead when Shauna Mulkerin hit a sacrifice fly.
 
The Devils threatened in the top of the fifth, as Sarah Lima (Stanfordville, N.Y./Pine Plains) walked to begin the inning and Nikki Caruso (Madison, N.J./Madison) reached on a fielder's choice. However, Manhattanville's senior pitcher Alyssa Taylor escaped the jam by striking out McCann and retiring the next two batters.
 
The Valiants offense broke the game wide open in the bottom of the fifth. As the rain poured down, so did the hits for Manhattanville. Freshman Dolores Diemicke knocked an RBI-double, which was followed by a two-run homer by Taylor. Manhattanville totaled eight runs in the inning and Shelbee Damianos' two-run single put the Valiants up by nine, which ended the game.
 
With the win, Manhattanville starter Taylor improved to 4-5, while FDU-Florham right-hander Sydney Worek (Bordentown, N.J./Florence Township) dropped to 6-3 with the loss.

McCann was the lone Devil to tally multiple hits in the game and is now batting .489 on the season, which ranks her second behind Brittni Wurst (Middletown, N.J./Middletown North), who sits at .490.
 
Next up for the Devils:
The Devils head to Pomona, N.J. to take on Stockton College this Thursday, April 3^rd at 3 p.m.