Game 1 Box Score - Game 2 Box Score
Williamsport, PA — Lycoming College called it one of the “biggest upsets in school history.”
From the Messiah perspective, there wasn't much arguing.
The Warriors' Janelle Poorman knocked a two-RBI, walk-off single in the second game of a Thursday afternoon double-header, helping the hosts to a dramatic, 3-2 come-from-behind win, stunning the sixth-ranked Falcons in the process.
Messiah captured a 5-0 blanking in Game One, but watched a 2-0 lead slip away in the final two innings of the nightcap — the Falcons' first loss to the Warriors since Lycoming joined the Commonwealth Conference.
Riding a six-game winning streak entering the day, things started off well for Messiah (25-5, 7-3) as junior Jessica Rhoads picked up her ninth pitching win of the season. Rhoads (9-1) limited the Warriors to just one hit in four innings pitched, striking out nine batters while walking none.
Working on a pitch count, Rhoads was removed in favor of freshman Sara Dietrich in the fifth inning. And while Dietrich gave up three hits while striking out four, it was more than enough to keep the hosts at bay: A three-run top of the fifth provided Messiah's staff with added insurance to remove Rhoads comfortably, as singles from Dietrich, junior Abi Buchler and freshman Krista Ammon helped light up the scoreboard.
A triple from junior Ashley Lehman was eventually scored off another single from Buchler in the top of the seventh and, after giving up a leadoff single, Dietrich bore down and recorded a strike out, fly out and ground out to end the game.
Messiah was without the benefit of a big offensive inning in the second game, a fact that would come back to haunt the team late. Sophomore Jocelyn Hickey received the start in the pitching circle, working five and one-third innings before being removed for Dietrich.
The Falcons were kept scoreless through the first three innings of play, but scored singular runs in both the fourth and fifth frames. A double from Rhoads helped sophomore Stephanie Schell eventually touch home plate after reaching by an error, while a double from Lehman was batted around via a groundout and a fielder's choice in the fifth.
It wasn't until the bottom of the sixth that the Falcons began to run into trouble, as Hickey gave up a leadoff walk before allowing a one-out double — an act that cut the Messiah lead to one run. Dietrich was inserted and got out of a one-on, one-out jam, inducing a fly out and a pop out to end the frame.
Messiah stranded one runner in its offensive half of the seventh — one of eight for the game — and it would be up to Dietrich to preserve the win.
Unfortunately, Lycoming (10-14, 4-6) had grandiose plans as a spoiler.
Following a ground out to open the stanza, Dietrich allowed her second walk of the day. When a Falcons' error complicated what would have been a fielder's choice, the Warriors had runners on first and second with one out.
Dietrich then hurled her fifth wild pitch of the season, allowing Lycoming's runners to move to second and third, respectively.
It was then Poorman's turn to shine.
The sophomore catcher turned on a Dietrich delivery and ripped a liner up the middle, allowing one run to score.
As the Warriors' Taylor Lesser rounded third, it was clear there would be a play at the plate.
Junior Jaclyn Merkel sent a nice throw home, but Lesser crashed through sophomore Taylor Hatt, scoring the winning run in incredible fashion.
Dietrich (8-1) was saddled with her first pitching defeat of the year, throwing just one inning worth of softball. Lehman, junior Lauren Seneca and freshman Sara Seneca all finished with two hits in the nightcap, though Messiah's two runs scored were the fewest since dropping a pair of contests to league foe Lebanon Valley College Apr. 2.
Despite the defeat, the Falcons still sit comfortably in second place within the conference standings, sitting a half a game ahead of Arcadia University. Messiah will take three days off for Easter weekend before returning to the field Monday, when the team will — hopefully — engage in a double-header with C'Wealth rival Elizabethtown College, an event that has been postponed twice due to unplayable field conditions.
Game time for the first of two is set for 3 p.m. Monday.
