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XML Box Score 2 Atlanta, GA - The Falcons secured their first two wins of the season Saturday, picking up 4-2 and 9-0 victories over DePauw University. After suffering two losses yesterday to Emory University, the Falcons (2-2) rebounded with solid play and impressive pitching.
Game One
The Tigers (3-3) were the first to strike in Game One, stringing together a single and a double to score the opening run. The Falcons responded to post their own run in the bottom half.
Krista Ammon drew a lead-off walk and was followed by a sacrifice bunt from
Katie Tankred. Ammon made her way to third on a passed ball and eventually scored on
Amanda Jones' sacrifice fly to center field.
A two-hit fourth inning pushed another run across the plate for the Falcons. This time, singles from
Becky Notte and Ammon set the stage for Jones, who once again drove the ball to center field for the SAC fly and the RBI.
The Falcons added two more runs in fifth on a two-out, two-run double by Notte.
Despite trailing 4-1, the Tigers made things interesting in the top of the sixth and seventh innings. In the sixth, DePauw managed two hits, but were unable to push another run across the plate. The seventh was a different story.
The Tigers' Jennifer Ridge took things in her own hands to begin the final inning with a lead-off triple and made her way home on a one-out, ground-out by Andi Sarkisian. With the score at 4-2 and two outs, things were still leaning in the Falcons' favor; but a walk and a single kept the Tigers alive. Fortunately for the Falcons, starting pitcher
Mallory Rutledge worked her way out of the jam, getting the final batter to line out to right field.
With the win, Rutledge moves to 1-1 on the season. She allowed two runs on eight hits and struck out four. Offensively,
Courtney Allen was 2-for-3 with a double and a triple, while
Becky Notte (2-for-3) also contributed a single, double, and two RBI's.
Game Two
In game two, the Falcons took advantage of several first inning errors by the Tigers and jumped out to a 4-0 lead. Singles from Allen, Notte, and Tankred helped Messiah take the early advantage.
A lead-off walk by
Emily Quatrale started the Falcons' offense in the second. Quatrale found herself on third after a sacrifice bunt by
Tina Lehman and a single from
Nicole Blantz, yet it was a passed ball that gave her the opening to score. Allen followed with a two-out single to score Blantz. In the next at-bat, Notte ripped a triple which pushed Allen across the plate for the Falcons' third and final run of the inning.
The Falcons added single runs in both the fourth and fifth innings to close out the 9-0 run-rule shortened contest.
Once again, Notte led Messiah's offense by going 3-for-3 with a triple and four RBI's. Allen was 2-for-2 with one RBI.
Claressa Mees (1-1) dominated the pitching circle for the Falcons, striking out five while holding the Tigers to only one hit.
The Falcons will return to the diamond on Tuesday, Mar. 11 at 2:30 p.m. when they take on Wilson College in Chambersburg, Pa.
