Salisbury Box Score | Christopher Newport Box Score
Newport News, VA – Messiah's softball team watched its dream of repeating as national champions slip away Sunday afternoon at Christopher Newport University.
Not that it was for a lack of herculean effort.
Messiah pulled off one of the most incredible rallies in program history to stun third-ranked Salisbury University by a 5-4 score in the day's NCAA Regional opener, only to see a run taken off the board in a heartbreaking, 0-1 loss to the host Captains in the nightcap.
The loss to Christopher Newport gave the hosts the regional championship by virtue of a 4-0 record over the weekend, sending the Falcons home via their second loss of the double-elimination tournament.
"I'm very, very, very proud of this team, despite the way today ended," said Amy Weaver, Messiah head coach. "We called on so many kids today, and every single one of them stepped up. It wasn't just the starting lineup. Kid after kid after kid came through for us. I am extremely proud of this team."
After registering just two hits against CNU Saturday and being relegated into the loser's bracket following a 4-0 loss to the Captains, Messiah (39-8) faced the difficult task of needing to win three games to advance out of regional play: If the Falcons got past top-seeded Salisbury in Sunday's opener, the team would have to beat Christopher Newport immediately thereafter – and then again Monday afternoon.
Following Sunday's shocking finish against the Sea Gulls, however, it seemed that anything was possible.
After leading Salisbury by a 3-2 score entering the seventh inning, sophomore pitching sensation Jessica Rhoads had the designated visitors down to their final strike. With a 1-2 count to Salisbury's Rachel Hastings, Rhoads battled for what would have been her 29th pitching decision of the season.
Four times, Hastings fouled off Rhoads' deliveries, staying alive with a runner on second base who reached via walk.
And that's when it happened.
Hastings caught a fastball square and drilled a towering home run to left-centerfield, putting Messiah behind by a 4-3 count – the Falcons' first deficit of the day.
Rhoads, whose left knee had been a constant issue all season, was pulled in favor of senior Tori Hatt. Hatt gave up an ensuing single, but struck out the Sea Gulls' Kristin Lord to retire the side.
For all intents and purposes, the damage had been done, however.
Facing a team that arrived to regional play riding a 33-game winning streak, it appeared Messiah would not replicate its4-2 win over Salisbury less than 48 hours earlier.
But Rhoads was only finished pitching, not batting.
After sophomore Ashley Lehman reached base via a bunt single and senior Abby Bergakker walked, Rhoads was re-entered back into the lineup, coming to the plate with two outs retired.
What happened next was the stuff of Hollywood.
Rhoads drove a pitch from Salisbury's Erika Brittingham all the way to the centerfield wall, scoring Lehman with ease and Bergakker just before the throw arrived.
After giving up a go-ahead home run – the third dinger allowed in the past two days – Rhoads miraculously came through in the biggest of ways.
"Her knee really flared up today, but I knew she could still hit," Weaver said. "Jess has a lot of upper body strength. That, and she was mad that she gave up the home run. The more upset she gets, the better she hits. I told her she didn't have to win the game for us, but she just needed to hit the ball hard. And that's exactly what she did."
It was an absolutely incredible finish to a wild game, one which Messiah seemed to control until the moment Hastings' blast cleared the fence.
A single from freshman Stephanie Schell drove in sophomore Jaclyn Merkel in the first inning, offsetting an initial Sea Gulls' run that came on a double-steal – with Salisbury's Kelly Waskewicz scoring before Messiah could tag out Ali Ritter in a rundown.
The Falcons then generated singular runs in the third and fourth innings, senior Lindsay Hall laying down a perfect bunt for an executed squeeze play in the former and Rhoads bringing across Merkel thanks to a Salisbury error in the latter.
Even stranding the bases loaded in both the third and fifth innings seemed to be of little issue for Messiah, as Rhoads was in complete control on the rubber, striking out nine while walking just two.
But that's when the knee started to give out, along with the Falcons' defense.
A bizarre double-error helped the Sea Gulls' Lord score following a two-out single in the sixth, and Messiah's lead was trimmed to 3-2. Rhoads got out of a two-on jam following the tally, but Salisbury wasn't done yet.
When Hastings hit her third home run of the year with just one strike separating Salisbury from elimination, it seemed that Messiah would be going home early.
But that's when Rhoads performed some bat magic of her own. After Lehman's single, Merkel fouled out to left field and sophomore Abi Buchler sacrifice bunted Lehman to second. Bergakker then drew her team-leading 31st walk of the season, and the stage was set.
With two outs gone, Rhoads thought nothing of being the goat for the second time of the game. Instead, she focused on being the hero.
"We have a team made up of girls who love being in clutch situations," Weaver said. "Without question, Jess is one of those. She thrives in those types of moments."
As a reward for the incredible finish versus Salisbury (36-4), Weaver's club got a 35-minute break before facing a Christopher Newport team that had outscored its opponents by a 15-2 count over the weekend. With Rhoads ailing, Weaver again turned to Hatt, who picked up just her third pitching win of the year after facing two batters against Salisbury.
Naturally, she performed like a seasoned veteran.
Hatt (3-2) scattered just six hits against the Captains, giving up her only run of the day in the third inning. A lead-off double from CNU's Megan Morris was eventually driven in by a two-out single from teammate Chelsea Mitchell, and the hosts were on the board.
Hatt induced a fly-out to end the inning, but Messiah's biggest problem was in the opposing dugout: CNU senior pitcher Kristen Rowe kept a perfect game going through five innings of work Sunday, coming on the heels of Saturday's two-hit, shut-out performance.
"I said it Saturday, but she's the best change-up pitcher we've seen over the last two years, and I'd put her up there with any pitcher we've seen," Weaver said. "We did everything we could, but she is just outstanding."
That was, until the sixth inning, when a brilliant coaching move from Weaver paid off.
Sort of.
With Messiah's regular arsenal continuing to struggle against Rowe, Weaver inserted freshman slap-hitter Daniella Pusateri into the lineup with one out retired. Following a nine-pitch battle with Rowe, Pusateri earned a walk – ruining the hurler's perfect game and giving Messiah its first base runner.
Lehman – also a slap-hitter – then reached first after a sharply hit groundball was misplayed by the Captains' second baseman, and the Falcons were in business.
What happened next will long be discussed throughout the Messiah softball program.
As Pusateri stood at third and Lehman at second following an uncontested steal, Merkel hit a deep fly ball to left field. Pusateri tagged up and raced toward home plate, while Lehman did the same on her way to third.
CNU left fielder Renee Ashworth elected to throw to third, as Pusateri looked to outrun a potential throw to the plate. As Pusateri crossed home to put Messiah on the board, Lehman was gunned down at third, ending the half inning.
Falcons' players danced around the dugout jubilantly, finally scoring a run against the talented Rowe and giving the team new life.
But that's when home plate umpire Cindi Arnold waived off Pusateri's run.
Organized chaos ensued, as Weaver pleaded her case that Pusateri scored well before Lehman was tagged out, and should be counted. The umpires then gathered near the pitcher's mound, as both teams waited near their respective dugouts.
After nearly a minute-long caucus, Arnold turned back toward home and gave the 'safe' signal, causing another joyous eruption from the Messiah dugout and fans.
But CNU head coach Keith Parr quickly came out of the home team's dugout and asked for clarification, and Arnold gave it:
Her 'safe' sign was misinterpreted, and she gave the international 'wave off' signal – hands higher above the head.
More chaos ensued, led by a vocal contingent of Falcons' fans.
"I have to watch what I say on this," Weaver said after the game. "We all were very upset at the call. We feel we were robbed of a run. We still would have had to score again to win, but at least we would have had a shot. We feel strongly (that) the crew missed that call. That's about as diplomatic as I can be."
Sadly, it was as close as the Falcons would be to a tie score. After Hatt put away the CNU lineup in succession to close out the sixth, Messiah came up for its last licks in the top of the seventh, looking for one last bit of lightning in a bottle.
It nearly came, as Bergakker blasted a one-out single through the middle, busting Rowe's no-hitter. Rhoads then came to the plate and knifed a sharply hit ball down the third base line, but Captains' third baseman Jessie Atkinson made a great play, throwing out Rhoads at first.
Schell then fouled off a Rowe offering before hitting a slow grounder back to the Captains' hurler, and Christopher Newport (40-8) had done it. Messiah's season was over, as mind-numbingly as it had continued just a game earlier.
"It was a very frustrating way to end a season, but it doesn't take anything away from how we fought and fought and fought today, and all weekend, really," Weaver said. "We had so many different kids step up for us. This weekend was all about team."
Hatt (3-2) suffered the pitching defeat, standing as the only pitcher other than Rhoads to throw in an NCAA Tournament game for Messiah over the last two seasons. Rowe improved to 22-4 on the year, striking out six while walking just one.
"Tori Hatt, she's the unsung hero for us," Weaver said. "(Christopher Newport) is an incredibly good hitting team. To shut them down and hold them to one run? My hat goes off to her. She did a phenomenal job.
"But she was just one example of our kids believing and knowing it takes a collective effort," she continued. "We always talk about never giving up, never knowing what little thing will help win a game. We may not have won (against CNU), but we did everything we were capable of."
Rhoads, Lehman, Merkel and Schell were named to the all-tournament team as a result of their play, while Weaver will say goodbye to an incredible senior class of Hatt, Bergakker, Hall and Nicole Adams. That foursome graduates with a career record of 127-49, the second-highest win total of any class in Messiah softball history.
"The leadership that this group has provided will never be forgotten," Weaver said. "They helped foster an incredible culture, not just on the field but off of it. I couldn't be prouder of our seniors and our team for the way they've continued to represent themselves and our program."
