The Muhlenberg softball team split two games in Myrtle Beach, coming back to defeat Mansfield, 5-4, after falling to Cortland, 6-4.

The second game marked the first win for the Mules against a Division II team since they defeated Chowan in 2000.

Muhlenberg got off to a quick start against Mansfield, loading the bases on consecutive singles by the first three batters - junior Sophia Cicchetti, sophomore Kaitlyn Buurman and freshman Maddy Svenningsen. After a passed ball scored one run, junior Brianna Kessler lined a single to right-center to bring in two more runs, and sophomore Jamie Carfagna beat out an infield hit to make it 4-0 and record her first career RBI.

Mansfield scored three runs in the fifth and advanced the tying run to third with one out, but junior relief pitcher Raya Kunes kept the Mules (4-6) in front with a strikeout and a groundout.

Cicchetti's third triple of the season brought in an important insurance run in the top of the sixth. The Mounties scored a run in the bottom of the seventh before Kunes retired the final hitter with the potential tying run on base.

Kunes worked the final 2.2 innings to earn her second career save. Freshman Leeanna Zagrodnik picked up the win in her first career start, fanning 4 in 4.1 innings.

The opener was a closely contested game against an undefeated Cortland squad that has outscored its other five opponents by a 51-13 margin. 

A double by sophomore Ava Calabrese and a throwing error gave Muhlenberg a 2-0 lead in the second. The Red Dragons tied the score in the third, went ahead with one in the fifth and appeared to put the game out of reach with a three-run sixth.

The Mules came back, closing to within 6-4 on a two-run double by Svenningsen in the bottom of the sixth. The final five Muhlenberg batters were retired, however.

Muhlenberg belted out a season-high 13 hits in the Cortland game, including three apiece by Calabrese (pictured above), Cicchetti and junior Gillian Zack.