Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
Grantham, PA — With a conference playoff berth on the line and senior day serving as the backdrop, the Messiah College softball team took care of just enough business to make the post-game festivities enjoyable, splitting 0-3 and 9-1 decisions with league foe Albright College Saturday afternoon at Starry Field.
Messiah (19-15, 4-4) responded from a three-hit, shutout loss in the day's first game to erupt for 10 hits and nine runs in the second, securing a berth in the upcoming MAC Commonwealth playoffs in the process. With only a two-game series at Widener University remaining on the Falcons' regular-season conference slate, Saturday's win over Albright (9-19, 3-7) mathematically assured Messiah a spot in the conference playoffs in two weeks, making senior day a reasonably positive affair.
"It's nice to know that you're in the post-season, that is for sure," said Amy Weaver, Messiah head coach. "It was senior day and the atmosphere was charged from the beginning. After the games we grilled at the field and had a great time, and a big thanks goes out to the parents for their support. We would have liked to get two, but the offense just wasn't there for us early. Fortunately we woke the bats up in time for the second game."
Weaver's club suffered just its fourth shut-out defeat of the season in the day's opener, as Messiah has averaged just under five runs per game this year. Freshman Corinn Eby (4-6) took the pitching loss though allowing just five hits and two runs in four and one-thirds innings, striking out three. Junior Jenna Batchelor came on in relief, concluding the game with one strikeout and one run allowed, facing 11 batters.
"We hit the ball hard in the first inning, but couldn't string any hits together," Weaver said. "Of the hard hits we got, Albright seemed to be there to make the plays. They had about three incredible defensive plays to hold off some runs."
The Falcons received singles from senior Lana Trotter, junior Amy Bowie and freshman Rebecca Stackhouse in the loss, while the team left five on base. Albright scored two of its runs in the first inning, coming off a two-run homer.
Needing a win in the day's second game for a multitude of reasons, Weaver's club responded with a five-run bottom of the first, making life much easier on freshman pitcher Jessica Climenhaga (7-4), who went on to be brilliant: Climenhaga would go the distance in tossing a one-hitter, complete with an incredible eight strikeouts.
That caliber of a pitching performance wasn't entirely necessary.
Messiah opened the game with four straight singles, capped off by a three-run homer from Bowie. The Falcons then followed with three runs in the second inning, with two scores plated off a double from Bowie.
Albright scored its lone run of the game in the top of the first, as Climenhaga's only gaffe was a solo home run to the Lions' Alex Keyes, her second of the day. She then went on to toss a no-hitter for the remainder of the contest, walking just two batters.
"Our bats really came alive and Jesse was great," Weaver said. "Even though the one hit she gave up was a home run, she pitched so solidly and we hit well to win the game in six innings by eight running them."
Bowie was the big offensive star for the Falcons, going 2-3 with her homer and double, pushing across five runs. Sophomores Lindsay Hall and Nicole Adams finished 2-2 and 2-3 with two RBI and two runs scored each, while freshman Rebekkah Funk also finished 2-3 with two runs scored.
Messiah will next host Dickinson College in a make-up contest Monday afternoon. Game time is set for 3:30 p.m.
