Cortland, NY - The No. 12 Messiah softball team defeated Johnson & Wales University 5-2 in their first game of the NCAA Regionals. Carrie Fix, Samantha Esper, and Amber Bingaman all had three hits in the game and Emily Quatrale scored two runs. Messiah had nine hits as a team and played errorless defense. Madelyn Yannetti (17-4) earned the win behind a strong 6.2 inning performance.

The Wildcats jumped to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning when Kristin Frost hit a home run. Carrie Fix started in the circle for the Falcons but Madelyn Yannetti entered late in the first inning to help get out of the jam.
 
Johnson & Wales had another opportunity to score in the second inning when a couple singles put runners in scoring position, however, with two outs Samantha Esper made a nice play to snag a line shot and end the inning without any damage.
 
Heading into the bottom of the third with Messiah still trailing 2-0, Emily Quatrale singled to get the inning started and was advanced to second base on a bunt by Shannon Denny. After tagging on a fly ball and making it to third, Quatrale was brought home on a single through the left side by Esper to put the Falcons on the board.
 
In the very next inning Amber Bingaman delivered a strong hit out to right field that ended up sneaking past the right fielder and with her fast feet she made it all the way home to tie the game 2-2. The Wildcats again had a chance to score in the fifth inning with runners at second and third, Diana Amendolara hit a single to left field and as Frost tried to score from second, Bingaman came up huge with a tremendous throw to the plate for the out.
 
The bottom of the sixth inning is where Messiah would secure the win scoring three runs to take a 5-2 lead over Johnson & Wales. With one out, Yannetti drew a walk and then Sydney Boreman pinch hit, delivering single up the middle and Ashley Carroll, who entered as a pinch runner made it all the way to third on the play with Boreman advancing to second.
 
Quatrale stepped up to the plate with Carroll on third and Haylee Anders on second, and laid down a nice bunt on the first base line. The first baseman for the Wildcats tried to get Carroll as she broke for home but the catcher couldn't hold on to the ball as she slid in safely and then Anders scored as the ball rolled to the back stop giving the Falcons a 4-2 lead. A couple batters later Messiah added one more insurance run as Samantha Esper hit an RBI single to score Quatrale.
 
Although the Wildcats got a runner on base in the seventh inning, Madelyn Yannetti stayed composed in the circle and the defense backed her up to retire the final two outs and win the game 5-2.

The Falcons will continue NCAA Regional play tomorrow when they take on a fellow foe, the Pride of Widener University at 11:00 a.m.