Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
Grantham, PA — The weather Wednesday afternoon in Grantham, Pa. was absolutely stunning.
Not a bad backdrop for the 2009 NCAA Division III National Champions homecoming.
Over 100 fans packed Starry Field to witness the Messiah softball team's home-opening double-header against Dickinson College Wednesday, and the Falcons delivered: Early offense and stellar pitching led to 3-1 and 3-2 wins over the Red Devils, Messiah's seventh and eighth consecutive wins overall.
In the first game, Messiah (11-2) jumped out to an early 1-0 lead after sophomore Ashley Lehman walked and scored on Jacki Merkel's triple in the first. This marked the fifth time in the last seven games that the Falcons scored at least one run in the first inning of play.
"I don't know why we've been scoring early runs so much," said Amy Weaver, Messiah head coach. "I like it, though. It's definitely helpful. When we take an early lead, we put the pressure on the opposition and they have to spend the next few innings playing catch up."
Messiah made certain it would be a more difficult task for Dickinson (7-10), as the home team tacked on two more runs in the third inning. Merkel reached after getting hit by a pitch, then stole second, then advanced to third on a single from sophomore Jess Rhoads. She was then batted in off an infield single from senior Abby Bergakker. When Rhoads was driven in off a sacrifice groundout from freshman Stephanie Schell, the Falcons had a 3-0 lead and were rolling.
Messiah would need just two runs to garner the win, however, as Rhoads (6-1) hurled a complete game, allowing just four hits and one run, and striking out 15 hitters.
"Jess pitched pretty well," Weaver said. "She only gave up three hits, which they put together to get a run. She was almost flawless until the sixth inning. Even more impressively, Jess has been sick lately. She's battling flu-like symptoms and we're lucky that she's even out there, getting the ball across the plate."
In the second game of the doubleheader, Weaver's club utilized single runs in the second, fourth and sixth innings to win 3-2, outhitting the Red Devils by an 8-2 margin.
"Overall, we hit pretty well," Weaver said. "We had four doubles and a triple and eight hits total. It's actually a wonder that we didn't score more than three runs. We need to do a better job of hitting with runners on base."
The Falcons led 1-0 after Schell tripled and scored on sophomore Lauren Seneca's single in the second inning. But Dickinson answered right back in the third with two runs off senior pitcher Tori Hatt — taking a 2-1 lead in the process.
Messiah was undeterred, however, tying the game in the bottom of the fourth off a double from sophomore Lauren Seneca and a single by senior Lindsay Hall.
Junior Corinn Eby (3-1) relieved Hatt with two outs in the top of the fifth inning, turning in a nearly flawless performance: The Carlisle, Pa. native pitched two and a third innings, didn't allow a hit, and walked just a single batter.
Eby's teammates helped her to her third win of the year in the sixth, as the Falcons took the lead for good. Schell doubled with one out and then scored on Hall's two out double — plating the all-important game-winning run.
Messiah will not have long to savor Wednesday's wins, as the team will travel to The College of New Jersey tomorrow night for a double-header with the Lions. Game time for the first of two is set for 3 p.m.
