MADISON, N.J. - The FDU-Florham softball team earned their first two Freedom Conference home victories Thursday afternoon after defeating the Manhattanville College Valiants 7-3 in game one and then 6-3 in game two.

The Devils (5-9, 4-2 Freedom) were the first on the board in game one once Marlena Bevilacqua (East Brunswick, N.J.) drew a walk and later came around to score on a Nikki Caruso (Madison, N.J.) RBI triple to right. Caruso had a good rhythm at the plate, batting 4-for-6 with two RBI and three runs scored in the two games. In the second inning, the Devils added another run to go up 2-0.

Following a Paige Lillie (Mount Laurel, N.J.) walk and a Wynne McCann (Boyertown, Pa.) single, Michelle Mangini (West Babylon, N.Y.) stepped up to the plate and singled to center to drive in the run. It was not until the fourth inning that the Valiants (6-8, 0-2 Freedom) got on the board. The pitcher, Alicia Marino, came up to bat and hit the ball over the fence for a home run.

However, the Devils responded quickly and in the bottom half of the inning, Rebecca DeCarlo (Greenwich, CT) hit a two-run homer to give FDU-Florham a 5-1 advantage. In the fifth, the Valiants kicked off the inning with an Alyx Scapperotti bunt single and she later scored on a Shauna Mulkerin double to right center. Mulkerin came around to score on a Devils error to cut the deficit to two runs.

With just a two-run lead entering the bottom of the fifth, DeCarlo singled to left field for the Devils and later scored on a Caruso RBI double to left center. McCann then drove Caruso in with an RBI double to deep right center. In the top of the sixth, Sydney Worek (Bordentown, N.J.) replaced Audrie Thomas (Belford, N.J.) on the mound and closed out the game to seal the Devils' 7-3 victory.

In game two, the Devils continued to utilize their hot bats at the plate and Bevilacqua led off the game with a single. Following a DeCarlo single, Bevilacqua came around to score for the first run of the game. Caruso then drew a walk and the Devils had two runners on for McCann, who came up and blasted a three-run homer to deep center to give the Devils an early 4-0 lead. The junior catcher put up stellar numbers at the plate, batting 6-for-8 with a home run and six RBI.

Worek got the start in game two for the Devils and she pitched five strong innings, striking out three and walking just two batters. The only run that crossed the plate for the Valiants while Worek was on the mound was in the second inning off of a Devils error.

In the bottom of the second, the Devils had two runners on when McCann hit an RBI single to give FDU-Florham a 5-1 lead.

Brittany Funicelli (Whippany, N.J.) replaced Worek on the mound in the top of the sixth and the Valiants looked to start a rally against the new Devils' pitcher. With two outs and one runner on, Marino hit a two-run home run, her second homer of the afternoon, to make it a 5-3 game.

In the bottom half of the inning, Caruso reached on an error and found herself on second base. After a sac bunt, it was McCann again who came through for the Devils, hitting another RBI single.

The Valiants loaded the bases in the seventh but Funicelli was able to work her way out of the inning to help the Devils capture the 6-3 win.

FDU-Florham will be back in action on Wednesday, April 8, when they travel to N.Y. to take on St. Joseph's College-LI in a double header that will start at 3:30 p.m.