Box Score
By Bryn Swartz, GoMessiah.com reporter
York, PA — It was a fitting end to a year which saw Messiah claim 32 wins in just 37 games, as the Falcons closed out the regular-season by defeating host York College by a 3-1 score Tuesday afternoon.
Freshman pitcher Sara Dietrich, who was one of the most pleasant surprises for the Falcons' team this season, was given the ball in the finale. She pitched a gem, throwing all seven innings and allowing just three hits, two walks and one earned run. She struck out five and improved her record to an extremely impressive 11-1.
In the top of the first, junior Ashley Lehman singled and advanced to second on a passed ball. Freshman Sara Seneca was then hit by a pitch. One out later, junior Jess Rhoads doubled to right center, scoring Seneca. Later in the inning, sophomore Stephanie Schell hit a sacrifice fly, giving the Falcons a 2-0 lead before Dietrich ever took to the circle.
York (19-20) scored a run in the bottom of the second on a walk, sacrifice bunt and single, cutting the lead to 2-1. But with Dietrich's strong pitching, York would score no more.
Messiah (32-5) added a big insurance run in the top of the seventh, as Rhoads singled home Seneca with two outs retired.
Dietrich closed out the Spartans in the bottom of the inning, her third one-two-three stanza of the game.
While Monday's game bore no significance to the team's upcoming post-season, it was the squad's final opportunity to prepare for it in a competitive setting. The Falcons will open the 2011 Commonwealth Conference Tournament against Arcadia University Friday at 1 p.m. If they win, they would play the winner of the Lebanon Valley College – Lycoming College matchup at 3 p.m.
"We are going into this weekend really expecting to win," said Amy Weaver, Messiah head coach. "We understand the competition will be tough, but we have confidence. We've lost some (conference) games this year, but our team has really grown since then. We're looking to go for it. We're really hoping we can come out of this tournament as champions.”
Perhaps the big question for Falcons' fans is what, exactly, the pitching rotation will look like, and how much will Rhoads — an All-American — be utilized in light of nagging injuries that have limited her this season.
"Jess is not going to be able to pitch every game," Weaver said. "To stay in the winner's bracket, you have to win two out of three. We're going to probably pitch her in the second two of the three games."
All games will take place at Alvernia University's Angelica Park. Detailed information can be found at the official website of the 2011 Commonwealth Conference Tournament.
