Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
Grantham, PA — Messiah rebounded from a tough, Monday split against Widener University by sweeping visiting Hood College Tuesday afternoon, the first by virtue of a shutout and the second with the aid of a four-run comeback.
In the first game, sophomore pitcher Jess Rhoads turned in her usual incredible performance. Rhoads (13-1) went the distance, her 13th complete game in as many starts. She struck out 14 hitters and allowed just two hits, collecting her seventh shutout of the season.
Rhoads has now scored as many runs as she has given up this season (six), unheard of for a pitcher.
"Jess was great," said Amy Weaver, Messiah head coach. "She struck out 14 hitters, which is great, and only gave up two hits in the whole game."
The Falcons' bats couldn't get anything going until the fourth inning of Game One, when they scored a run on freshman Stephanie Schell's double and sophomore Jacki Merkel's single.
In the fifth inning, Messiah (20-5) added three more runs on five hits, including doubles by sophomore Abi Buchler, senior Abby Bergakker and Merkel.
"It was still a 0-0 game until the fourth inning," Weaver said. "It took a couple of innings to get the bats rolling. Once we did, we had a bunch of doubles in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, and we never had to bat in the seventh. Once we hit, we really hit, and we were hitting the ball well."
In the second game, the Falcons needed those bats to come alive, as the team went down 4-0 after two innings — thanks to a pair of runs in both the first and the second innings from Hood (11-13).
The visiting Blazers notched their first two by virtue of singles, then tacked on two more in the second inning thanks to a towering, two-run homer from Erin McNally — an effort that found its way into the Yellow Breeches creek well past the outfield wall.
"We got down quickly, but we didn't lose our poise," said Weaver. "They had several hits and then a home run, and we were in the hole just like that. We brought in (freshman pitcher) Jocelyn Hickey (to relieve sophomore starter Corinn Eby) and she pitched the rest of the game. She didn't give up any runs and only four hits. She really pitched great."
Hickey (3-2) totaled five and two thirds innings, and collected the victory, her third of the season.
"Our bats were silent until the third inning, kind of similar to the first game," said Weaver. "In the third to fifth innings, we got six runs. They had decent pitching but we have faced much tougher and we were able to hit our way back into the game."
In the third, Weaver's club ripped five hits, including a big two-run double from Schell. Bergakker also drove in two with a single, and the Falcons had overcome a four-run deficit in just half an inning.
Messiah collected three more runs on three singles and a walk in the fifth inning.
Spectacular defense also helped the Falcons, particularly in the third.
"They had the bases loaded in the third inning and then hit a shot to our shortstop, Lauren Seneca," Weaver said. "She threw out a runner at home for the second out. Then they hit a blooper that I thought was going to fall and (Seneca) made an incredible outstretched catch. I didn't think she was going to catch it and I know they definitely would have scored more runs if it had fallen in."
Seneca's fantastic defense could have saved the game, and definitely seemed to spark the Falcons, who exploded with six runs over the next three innings.
"To come back and get (Game Two), that was important for us," Weaver said. "We played with the type of confidence that we should play with. This is a tough week, playing eight games, but a win like that can really help push you on."
Messiah will continue its busy week at McDaniel College Thursday, facing the Green Terror in a double-header beginning at 3:30 p.m. The Falcons will then return to Starry Field Saturday afternoon, hosting newly-joined Commonwealth Conference institution Alvernia University at 1 p.m.
With Tuesday's wins, the Falcons reached the 20-win plateau for the fifth straight season, and 10th time under 13th-year head coach Amy Weaver.
