Box Score Game 1
Grantham, PA - The Falcons earned their first Commonwealth Conference win Tuesday at Starry Field, taking down the Dutchmen of Lebanon Valley College 1-0 in 10 innings. A classic pitcher's duel, both starters - senior Kristen Palmerio of LVC and sophomore Sara Dietrich of Messiah - went the distance for their respective teams with Dietrich (4-1) getting the win.
Dietrich shut down the Dutchmen (7-8) offense throughout the 10 inning marathon, fanning four and going three-up, three-down in six seperate innings. The Falcons' defense stayed strong behind Dietrich, staying error-free and coming up with several big plays to end any threat of a LVC score.
"Sara [Dietrich] was phenomenal today," head coach
Amy Weaver said. "She stayed strong through 10 innings and allowed only three hits. She just dominated the game."
Messiah's (10-4) offense created numerous scoring opportunities throughout, putting runners on base in eight different innings, but left the bases loaded in the first and fifth innings.
After nine innings of play and the score knotted at 0-0, the international tie-break rule went into effect. LVC placed freshman Tessa Deardorff - the batter to make the last out - on second to begin the inning. Deardorff moved to third on a sacrifice bunt, but was eventually caught in a run-down for the first out. After a fielder's choice and a walk, the bases were loaded once more. With her back against the wall, Dietrich forced a ground-out to second base to end the inning
The Falcons took the momentum into the bottom of the tenth to manufacture the game-winning run. With senior
Ashley Lehman on second base, classmate
Jaclyn Merkel layed down a sarifice bunt to move Lehman onto third. In the next at-bat, junior
Stephanie Schell drove the ball down the right field line to score Lehman and win the game.
"We did what we needed to do in the tenth," Weaver said. "Bunt the runner to third then hit the ball to the right side. We executed and it paid off."
Game Two
An RBI single down the left field line by Jacklyn Merkel scored
Sarah Seneca and brought the Falcons to a 2-2 tie with LVC in the bottom of the fifth inning before the game was called due to darkness. In accordance with Commonwealth Conference guidelines, the game will not be counted in the standings and will be replayed at a later date.
Messiah had trailed in the game 2-0 before scoring both of their own runs in the final frame of the day. The first run for Messiah was scored by
Nicole Blantz by way of a booming double to right center by Seneca.
