Box Score
Newport News, VA – Sophomore Lauren Seneca enjoyed the role of hero so much Friday afternoon, she decided to put on an encore performance.
The Bethlehem, Pa. native knocked out her second homer of the season to give Messiah a 2-0 lead over third-ranked Salisbury University in the second round of NCAA regional play at Christopher Newport University, but the Sea Gulls responded, eventually tying the game and forcing extra innings.
That's when Seneca did it again.
The Messiah shortstop ripped a 10th-inning blast over the elevated left-field wall at CNU's Captains Field, pushing the Falcons to a 4-2 win and ending Salisbury's incredible 34-game winning streak in the process.
The marathon victory kept Messiah (37-7) in the winner's bracket of the double-elimination tournament, as the team advances to face the host Captains Saturday at 2 p.m. for the right to compete for a regional title Sunday afternoon.
"Wow," said Messiah head coach Amy Weaver after it was all over. "This was an awesome win. My girls dug deep today. I can't talk about that enough. There's something deep inside you that has to come out to compete the way we did today. We wanted this game."
Messiah's reasons for desire were plentiful.
In addition to boasting the nation's longest winning streak of the year, Salisbury (34-3) entered the weekend as the region's top seed, facing fourth-seeded Messiah after cruising past eighth-seeded Eastern Mennonite University by a 4-0 score in Thursday's first round.
"I didn't have to say a word to our girls this morning," Weaver said. "They were fired up. We feel like we're a better team than a four seed, just like last year (at NCAA Tournament time) we felt like we deserved a national ranking. But they can do that to us every year. It fires us up, and our girls feel like they have something to prove every time they step on the field."
Sophomore Jessica Rhoads looked the part in the pitching circle, keeping the slate clean through five full innings of work while striking out nine Sea Gulls. Salisbury put runners in scoring position in the second, third and fourth innings, but Rhoads concluded the second and third with a K, popping out Salisbury's Casey Zaino to end the fifth.
"Jess had her stuff going today," Weaver said. "Considering the conditions we played in today, she was an all-out warrior."
With a cloudless sky and unrelenting humidity pushing the temperature near 90 degrees, staying cool was a priority. Rhoads helped her cause by working quickly, and a pair of Messiah runs in the fifth and sixth innings looked to serve as the game's only scoring.
Sophomore Ashley Lehman notched a bunt single to start the fifth, being pushed to second off a sacrifice slap from classmate Jaclyn Merkel. Sophomore Abi Buchler then laced a single up the middle, and Lehman scored from second well before the throw came in.
Messiah nearly tacked on two more runs in the frame, but an absolute rocket of a hit from freshman Stephanie Schell was collected by Salisbury third baseman Kristin Lord, tagging out Buchler from her knees.
Seneca made that a somewhat moot point just an inning later, however, taking Salisbury starting pitcher Kelly Leary (19-1) deep for the first time this season. Seneca's lead-off blast pushed the Falcons to a 2-0 advantage – seemingly more than enough for Rhoads, who was cruising.
But then again, there was a reason the Sea Gulls hadn't lost a game since Mar. 1.
A two-out single from Salisbury's Jen Cahall kept the frame alive, while an ensuing double from Michelle Gravhadl clanged off the left-field fence, scoring Cahall.
The Sea Gulls' Amanda DeMoine then singled to right field, pushing Gravhadl across and tying the game.
Rhoads was able to settle down and strike out the inning, but the damage had been done.
"Jess really missed only one spot the entire day," Weaver said. "Salisbury is probably the best hitting team we've seen all year. They can really hit the ball. To limit them the way Jess did today, especially in these conditions, is just amazing."
With the score deadlocked entering the top of the seventh, the game turned into a battle of attrition. As the heat and humidity became oppressive, the teams traded harmless frames in the seventh, while a two-out single from Cahall accounted for the eighth inning's only hit.
Lehman reached via bunt in the ninth inning, but a fielder's choice and a pop out ended the stanza.
After Rhoads mowed down the Sea Gulls with a strikeout and a pair of groundouts in the bottom of the ninth, Messiah would finally take control. A lead-off walk from senior Abby Bergakker was eventually pushed into scoring position off a sacrifice bunt from Rhoads, and the Falcons were in business.
Schell looked disgruntled after popping a first-pitch offering to the Sea Gulls' second baseman, but Seneca walked up to the plate and did the unthinkable: With two outs retired and facing a commanding, left-handed hurler in Leary, Seneca ripped an absolute rocket to left field – clearing both a 10-feet tall fence and an even taller scoreboard.
The ensuing scene was one of pandemonium, as Messiah could finally taste it.
Thankfully, Rhoads was perhaps the most unshakable.
After retiring Salisbury's first two batters in the bottom of the 10th, the Sea Gulls staged a remarkable, two-out rally, notching back-to-back singles to put runners at the corners. Assistant coach Alex Quigley visited Rhoads and brought all nine fielders to the pitcher's circle.
It would serve as only a brief pause before greatness.
Rhoads (28-3) delivered against Cahall, striking out the Sea Gulls' senior for her 16th fanning of the afternoon. Bergakker ran from her catcher's position and embraced Rhoads – a look of exhaustion on both of their faces.
"It was such a team win," Weaver said. "We generated a run early, Jess just kept battling and Lauren really saw her pitches today. This was a big, big win for us, for a lot of reasons."
Remaining in the winner's bracket is at the top of that list, as the Falcons will face the host Captains – 8-0 winners over Susquehanna University Friday – at 2 p.m. Saturday. The winner of that game will advance to Sunday's regional championship at 4 p.m.; the loser will compete in a play-in game at 2 p.m.
"We're going to try and relax tonight and get ourselves ready again," Weaver said. "It's an advantage to not have to play in the morning, especially after a game like today's. I think we'll be ready."
Live Stats are available for all regional games at Christopher Newport. For additional information, visit the
Christopher Newport official NCAA regional site.
