Box Score Game One I
Box Score Game Two
Chester, PA – The Messiah College softball team concluded their regular season play with an 8-0 win and a 4-3 loss Saturday at Widener University.
Mallory Rutledge completed seven shut-out innings for the Falcons, striking out six Pride batters to lead Messiah to an 8-0 win in Game One of the teams' double-header. Rutledge allowed just two hits and faced only 23 batters in the game to move to 11-5 on the season.
The Falcons (25-13, 11-7) collected 12 hits and scored the bulk of their runs in the first (three) and seventh (four) innings.
Stephanie Schell provided the power for the Falcons in the opening frame with a three-run homerun to centerfield. Messiah added a single run in the sixth, but broke things open in the seventh as they turned a defensive error by the Pride and four hits into four more runs.
In Game Two, a four-hit fourth inning put the Pride ahead 2-0. The Falcons responded in the top of the sixth to score three runs. A one-out walk and a defensive error by the Pride set the stage for Messiah. Schell delivered a single to center field that drove in two runs, while an RBI double from
Katie Souders put the Falcons in the driver's seat at 3-2.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Pride (18-20, 7-11) picked up their seventh hit off of starter
Sarah Dietrich, which led the Falcons to make a pitching change. With Rutledge on the mound, Messiah committed two defensive errors that gave way to a Widener run.
Tied at 3-3, the Falcons failed to manage a hit in the top of the seventh. The Pride, on the other hand, drew a lead-off walk, while two bunts and two singles to the outfield delivered the game-ending run.
Starting pitcher
Sarah Dietrich threw five innings and gave up three runs on seven hits, while Rutledge (11-6) faced nine batters in 1.1 innings of work and took the loss.
On the day, Schell (4-for-7) led Messiah's offense with a homerun and six RBI's.
Lauren Smith was also 4-for-7 and drove in three runs.
The Falcons will now set their sights on next weekend's Commonwealth Conference Championships at Lebanon Valley College. The double-elimination tournament begins at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, May 3
rd when #4 Hood College takes on #5 Stevenson University. Messiah College, the #3 seed, will play #2 Alvernia University at 12:00 p.m. with the winners moving on to Saturday, while the losing teams will play again at either 2:00 p.m. or 4:00 p.m.
