Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
Westminster, MD — The Messiah College softball team maintained its torrid pace Wednesday night, handing host McDaniel College 8-7 and 5-2 defeats.
The results were Messiah's fourth and fifth consecutive victories, while the Falcons have now won 11 of their last 13 games.
Solid offense was again a big part of the equation Tuesday, as Messiah (15-11, 3-1) blasted two home runs and three doubles to hand the Green Terror their eighth and ninth straight losses.
"Our team is very excited that we have been able to win 11 of our last 13 games played," said Amy Weaver, Messiah head coach. "We are on a nice winning streak right now and we hope to keep playing well."
Weaver's club jumped on McDaniel (5-15, 0-4) early in Tuesday's first game, scoring multiple runs in each of the first four innings save for the second. An RBI double from junior Amy Bowie got things going in the team's first at-bat, while a follow-up single from sophomore Lindsay Hall drove two more home.
Another double from freshman Rebecca Stackhouse plated another a lone score in the second inning, while a home run from sophomore Abby Bergakker drove in two more in the third.
Messiah finished its scoring carousel in the fourth inning, as a Bowie single to centerfield brought home senior Lana Trotter and freshman Rebekkah Funk.
McDaniel was only able to score to two runs in the first six innings of play, but a five-run bottom of the seventh nearly finished a remarkable comeback for the hosts. As freshman and starting pitcher Corinn Eby (3-4) retired the first McDaniel batter in the stanza, the Green Terror quickly loaded the bases while scoring a run as well. As junior Jenna Batchelor (2) came on in relief of Eby, she struck out the first batter she faced.
The next blasted a grand slam.
With the score now 8-7, Batchelor forced a groundout to McDaniel's next batter, ending a rally that had Weaver's heart rate elevated.
"Corinn did a great job but she started to get tired toward the end," Weaver said. "So we went to the bullpen but didn't expect to give up a grand slam. That made things awfully tight and the intensity was high in the seventh, but we were able to come out with the win."
Bowie's three RBI via two singles led the way for Messiah, while Bergakker finished 1-4 with two RBI courtesy of her fifth home run of the year. Hall drove in two on a 1-4 effort from the plate, while Funk, Stackhouse and sophomore Nicole Adams all had multiple-hit performances.
Messiah made certain not to let McDaniel have a rally point in Tuesday's night cap, scoring five runs in the first three innings while pitching a shut out over the final five defensive stanzas. Batchelor (5-1) opened the game to pitch four strong innings, giving up just six hits and two runs — with both scores and half of her allotted hits occurring in the second stanza.
Freshman Jessica Climenhaga (2) came on in the fifth inning to pick up the save, allowing just two hits to the Terror.
"We pretty much dominated from the beginning, as Jenna threw very well and so did Jesse in coming on for the save," Weaver said.
Messiah scored three quick runs again in the top of the first, as a lead off single from Funk was eventually scored following a throwing error by McDaniel's pitcher. Trotter then doubled to centerfield for an RBI, eventually scoring herself on a wild pitch.
After McDaniel cut the lead to 3-2 in the second, the Falcons got a big lift in the third, as Adams knocked out her fifth long ball of the season, bringing home Trotter who reached via walk.
"We were able to hang onto a lead throughout the first few innings, but it didn't hurt to add on a couple of extra runs with Nicole's homer," Weaver said.
Adams' blast was part of a three-hit day for the first baseman, whiele Hall finished 2-4. Trotter finished 1-3 with two runs scored and an RBI, while Bowie, Bergakker and Funk all singled as well.
The Falcons will next return to MAC Commonwealth competition Saturday, when the team will travel to Lebanon Valley College for a league double-header. Game time for the first of two is slated for 1 p.m.
