Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
Annville, PA — Traveling to Lebanon Valley College for a key MAC Commonwealth double-header Saturday afternoon, things did not fall into place for the Messiah College softball team, as the squad dropped 0-4 and 3-4 defeats.
After being held to just a single hit in the day's first game, Messiah (15-13, 3-3) suffered a bitter, bottom-of-the-seventh loss in the night cap, faltering away a 3-1 lead as the host Flying Dutchmen put up five singles in their final at-bat to score three and steal the 4-3 victory.
The defeats drastically altered the current state of affairs within the MAC Commonwealth standings, as Messiah dropped down to third place with its 3-3 mark, while LVC (18-7, 5-1), Widener University and Elizabethtown College all remained tied for first with 5-1 records.
"Losing two today was tough, but the second game was a huge disappointment for the whole team," said Amy Weaver, Messiah head coach. "I'm sure we'll see (Lebanon Valley) in the (conference) playoffs and we'll be back to fight again, but (Saturday's second game) was our most disappointing loss of the season."
Weaver's club didn't have much to get excited about in the day's first ballgame, as LVC 's Laura Snyder tossed an absolute gem in the pitcher's circle: Messiah was held to a season-low one hit — freshman Rebekkah Stackhouse singled to lead off the seventh inning — breaking up what otherwise was a no hitter. Junior Amy Bowie reached base after being hit by a Snyder pitch in the second inning, constituting the Falcons' only other base runner of the game. Snyder went on to retire 14 straight batters following that blunder, keeping Weaver's club off kilter at the plate.
Lebanon Valley's offense, meanwhile, was paced by the long ball, as the Dutchmen cranked three home runs off junior Jenna Batchelor (5-2), who went the distance pitching. Batchelor gave up two solo shots in the first inning, while LVC tacked on another solo dinger in the third.
A wild pitch from Batchelor scored another LVC run in the fifth inning. She gave up just five hits to the hosts during the game.
"Our team did not get the bats going in the first game, and LVC beat us fair and square," Weaver said. "They hit the ball hard and we didn't hit at all. You can't win games without hits."
A lack of offense wasn't the problem in the second game, however, as Messiah registered eight total knocks to claim a 3-1 lead heading into the bottom of the dreaded seventh inning. A lead-off double from sophomore Abby Bergakker in the second inning was eventually driven in by a single from classmate Tori Hatt, while a pair of doubles from Stackhouse and junior Amy Bowie helped the squad plate two more scores in the fifth inning.
With freshman Jessica Climenhaga (5-4) humming in the pitcher's circle — she allowed just five hits while striking out six through six complete innings — it appeared Messiah would coast to the win in the final half inning.
LVC had other ideas.
Five singles eventually scored three runs in walk-off fashion, as the Dutchmen did all of their scoring damage with two outs retired. Climenhaga struck out the second batter of the stanza after allowing a lead-off single, while a fly out followed another single.
With runners on first and third and two outs gone, Climenhaga looked to be in control. Three straight LVC singles eventually ended things, however, with the Dutchmen's Kristen Uhas driving in the game winner.
Stackhouse, Bergakker and Hatt all finished with two hits on the day, as Stackhouse, Bergakker and Bowie all doubled. Bowie plated two runs via her extra-base hit, while Hatt scored another via her second-inning single.
LVC scored its only other run of the game in the fourth inning, a tally courtesy of yet another home run, the team's fourth of the afternoon.
"I told the team in between games that we ha to wake up the bats and fight, and I really felt our team did that in game two," Weaver said. "We had some good hits even when they were caught, as LVC made about three incredible defensive plays including what would have been a hit from (sophomore) Lindsay Hall with bases loaded to score several runs. I felt good because we kept hitting hard and our pitcher was in control. I think the entire team thought we were going to shut them down and win. They somehow found a way to string some hits together and win the game. We'll learn from it, and move on."
Messiah will next take a double-dip out of conference play, as the team will host Juniata College Tuesday afternoon. Game time for the first of two is set for 3:30 p.m.
