EDWARDSVILLE (PA) -- The Delaware Valley College softball team saw its 2009 season come to an end Saturday morning as the third-seeded Aggies dropped a 9-0 decision to top-seeded Misericordia University in the Freedom Conference Championships held at Wilkes University's Ralston Complex. The game was called after five innings due to the eight-run mercy rule.

The loss, combined with Friday's 5-4 setback to No. 3 DeSales University, eliminated Delaware Valley from the double-elimination tournament. The Aggies, who turned their roster over from a senior-laden team in 2008 to a mostly upperclass group in '09, were picked to finish seventh in the preseason conference coaches' poll. They instead they notched a 14-16 record (10-6 in the Freedom regular season) and qualified for the Freedom playoffs for the third consecutive year.

The Cougars (25-13) scored in three of the four innings they batted in with two in the first, four in the third and three more in the fourth. In the first inning, Hollie Sarnak connected for a RBI double and later scored on a two-out single. Nicole Hoskins had the big blow in the third with a two-run single off the center field fence. Two of Misericordia's three runs in the fourth inning came off the bat of Jillian Castaldi thanks to her single up the middle. Castaldi and Hoskins finished with three RBIs apiece.

Meanwhile, Misericordia pitcher Katie Eiden kept the Aggie offense at bay as she allowed just one hit in the game – a single in the first by Krystal Diaz. Delaware Valley had runners on second and third with two outs in that inning, but Eiden retired the next batter on a foul out to end the threat. Delaware Valley managed just one baserunner the rest of the way and that was Lauren Fenstermacher who struck out in the fifth, but reached first on a passed ball.