Game 1 Box Score I
Game 2 Box Score
Glenside, PA - The Falcons earned two Commonwealth Conference wins over Arcadia University Saturday. Messiah scored in the opening inning of game one and posted four runs in the fourth to take the lead, but it was sophomore starting pitcher
Sara Dietrich who kept the Knights at bay, holding them to only three hits for the 7-0 victory. In the second game, both teams scored in the first inning and this time Arcadia added single runs in both the third and fifth, but Messiah used a three-hit seventh to score three runs for the eventual 4-3 win.
“We hit the ball really well in both games,” Head Coach
Amy Weaver said. “The score of the second game doesn't reflect that, but we hit the ball hard and they [Arcadia] made the defensive plays. We never got frustrated and that paid off.”
Game One
In game one of the doubleheader, Messiah (29-6, 12-0) wasted no time scoring as sophomore
Sarah Seneca (2 for 4, 1 RBI) led off with a single and stole second to create a sacrifice situation. Freshman
Nicole Blantz did her job at the plate and moved S.Seneca onto third and a defensive error allowed her to score.
The Falcons weren't satisfied with a mere one run advantage, though. In the top of the fourth, Messiah strung together five hits, three stolen bases, and a hit-by-pitch to score four runs and take the 5-0 lead.
Senior
Jaclyn Merkel (1 for 3, 1 RBI) added to Messiah's powerful offensive performance when she sent the ball over the fence in the fifth inning for a two-run homerun, her second homerun of the season.
Messiah's final run came in the seventh when Blantz (2 for 3, 1 RBI) singled to center field, moved to second on a sacrifice by Merkel, and advanced to third on a bunt from senior
Ashley Lehman. She later scored on a single by junior
Stephanie Schell (2 for 4, 1 RBI).
Dietrich (14-2) was dominant in the circle, striking out seven and allowing only three hits in over six innings of work. Sophomore
Krista Ammon faced two batters in the seventh, striking out one and forcing a ground out.
Game Two
Game two was a bit of different story. Both teams scored in the opening inning, but Messiah struggled to push runs across the plate until late in the game.
Freshman pitcher
Mallory Rutledge did all she could to keep the Knights (16-20, 2-10) at bay, but Arcadia drove in two runs on six before Dietrich entered the game in the sixth.
Going into the seventh, Arcadia was out hitting the Falcons 7-4 and had a comfortable 3-1 lead, yet the Falcons weren't going away without a fight.
In the top of the seventh, senior
Abi Buchler (2 for 3, 1 RBI) doubled, S. Seneca (2 for 4, 1 RBI) tripled, and freshman Blantz (1 for 4, 1 RBI) singled to drive in three runs and take the 4-3 lead.
Dietrich retired the side in the bottom half of the inning to close out the win.
“We had runners on base and we hit the ball hard in the second game,” Weaver said. “We never gave up and were confident going into the seventh. It's nice to get a come-from-behind win. It builds confidence and proves that we can dig ourselves out of a hole when necessary.”
The Falcons will take their momentum into their next doubleheader against Eastern University on Wednesday. Game one begins at 3:30 p.m. in St. Davids, Pa.
