Game 1 Box Score I
Game 2 Box Score
Grantham, PA - The Messiah College Falcons picked-up two Commonwealth Conference wins over Hood College Saturday. The Falcons made quick work of the Blazers getting 11-2 and 10-2 wins in two five-inning games.
In both contests, Messiah's pitchers held the Blazers (9-5, 2-2) to only four hits. With the first game victory, right-hander
Claressa Mees remained undefeated and moved to 6-0. In game two,
Mallory Rutledge (5-1) struck out seven and gave up only two walks.
Katie Souders continued her offensive onslaught, hitting two doubles and driving in three runs in the opening game, while
Nicole Blantz was a perfect 3-for-3 from the plate with two RBIs.
Stephanie Schell went 2-for-2 with one RBI. In the final game of the doubleheader,
Sarah Dietrich led the Falcons with two RBIs. She was 3-for-4 and knocked in the game-ending run.
"We are hitting the ball really well right now," head coach
Amy Weaver said. "When we get runners on base, we don't have to take many chances with them because we're hitting the ball hard and the runs are following. Scoring this many runs has also taken pressure off of our pitchers."
In the last four games, the Falcons (12-4, 5-1) have out-hit their opponents 49-20 and outscored them 41-6.
Despite finding themselves with a two run deficit after the Blazers' first at-bats, the Falcons went to work and scored three runs on three hits in the bottom of the first.
Courtney Allen became the Falcons' first base runner after a lengthy battle with the Blazers' starting pitcher, Keerstie Robinson. Allen saw and fouled off a total of 10 pitches to earn a very important lead-off walk. In the next at-bat, Dietrich attempted to lay down the sacrifice bunt, but failed in her first two attempts. On the third try, she choked up and poked the ball up the middle for a single. Moments later,
Becky Notte drew a walk to load the bases and put the go-ahead run on first. Schell, who is third on the team with 12 RBIs, punched the ball into right center to tally the first run for the Falcons.
Madelyn Coffey completed the first inning scoring when she tagged the ball down the left field line, pushing both Dietrich and Notte across the plate.
"I was really proud of our girls for coming out confidently that first inning," Weaver said. "Courtney has been great for us in the lead-off spot. Even though we weren't able to get the bunt down, we were resilient. We put the ball in play and found ways to score."
After giving up two early runs, Mees shut down the Blazers in both the second and third innings. The freshman faced six batters and retired each one. In the fourth, the Blazers strung together two singles but failed to tally any additional runs.
The Falcons, on the other hand, scored runs in all four innings, adding one in the second, two in the third and five in the fourth.
In the second, Blantz's double jump started things for the Falcons. After a sacrifice bunt by Allen moved Blantz to third, a passed ball cleared the way for Blantz to score.
After a lead-off single from Notte, Souders drove the ball to the center field fence put the Falcons in the driver's seat. A defensive error by the Blazers allowed another run to score, bringing the Falcons' lead to four after three innings of play.
In the fourth, the floodgates opened. With two runners on base, Souders hit a two-out shot well over the center fielder's head for her second double of the game, sixth of the season, adding two more runs for the Falcons. Moments later,
Amanda Fife's RBI single plated Souders. Blantz finished the Falcons' scoring in the next at-bat when she poked the ball through the left side, scoring both Coffey - who was hit by a pitch to get on base - and Fife.
With a three-up-three-down, scoreless top of the fifth, Mees sealed the victory for the Falcons in only five innings of work.
In the second game, much like the first, the Falcons scored early and often.
A four-hit, five-run first inning gave Messiah the decisive lead. Allen once again started the game with a lead-off walk. Like clockwork, Dietrich singled and advanced to second as the Blazers attempted to get Allen out at third, but to no avail. Moments later, Allen would score on a passed ball. After an error by the short stop allowed Dietrich to score and put Pompeo on base, Notte singled to become the Falcons's next base runner. Schell put Notte and Pompeo in scoring position with a sacrifice bunt and Souders plated both runners with a single to center field. Souders eventually scored on a single by Blantz.
Three more runs in the second put the game out-of-reach for the Blazers, yet the Falcons added single runs in both the fourth and fifth innings.
In the circle, Rutledge dominated early allowing only two hits in three innings. In the fourth, though, the Blazers began to make contact and apply some pressure. A lead-off single, followed by a double and a walk loaded the bases. A sacrifice fly to center field gave the Blazers their first run. In the next at-bat, a pitch got away from Rutledge and hit the batter to load the bases once again. After a pop-up to Allen at short brought the Falcons one out away from ending the inning, a passed ball allowed another run to score for the Blazers. Rutledge buckled down and struck out the next batter for the third out.
In the top of the fifth, Rutlege wasted no time as she faced three batters and retired each one.
With a seven run lead, the Falcons needed one more run to end the game early. And they delivered.
Daniella Pusateri took a one-out single to left center and advanced to third on a ground out by
Natalie Fritz. In the next at-bat, Dietrich's double to right center scored Pusateri and gave the Falcons the 10-2 win.
"We made quite a few changes in the fourth," Weaver said. "It was great to see so many players get in the game and execute."
On the day, Dietrich was 4-for-7 with a double two RBIs. Schell also drove in two runs and was 3-for-5. Blantz was 4-for-5 with a double and three RBIs, while Souders found the green numerous times to hit two doubles, drive in six runs and finish 3-for-6.
The Falcons return to action on Tuesday when they play Gettysburg College. The non-conference double-header will begin at 3:00 p.m.
