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Courtney Allen hit a solo homerun to lead Messiah to a 1-0 win in game one and then drilled an impressive 3-run shot in game two to cap a six-run sixth inning as the Falcons won 9-4 to sweep Alvernia University.
Allen went 3-4 in game two with five RBI's; she collected six RBI's on the day to help Messiah improve to 4-0 in the Commonwealth.
"We were making solid contact in the first game but couldn't manage to score," head coach
Amy Weaver said. "Courtney really came through for us late in the game."
Seven different Falcons earned hits in game one, but they failed to string them together in order to score runs. Their best scoring chance came in the bottom of the second after singles from
Katie Tankred,
Nicole Blantz, and
Emily Quatrale loaded the bases. With one out,
Tina Lehman popped up a blooper that landed halfway between third base and home plate. Alvernia's third baseman and catcher both ran to the ball, but were unable to make the catch. With the ball in-play, Tankred ran home – thinking she was forced by the runners behind her – but the umpire had called Lehman out due to the infield fly rule. The Crusaders picked up the ball and threw it home to get Tankred out at the plate and end the inning.
The Falcons were held to only one hit through the next three innings, yet their offensive break-through came in the bottom of the sixth. After a ground out by
Brooke Pompeo, Allen drove the ball over the fence in right center for her first homerun of the season.
Mallory Rutedge (7-3) controlled the pitching circle for the Falcons, earning her second complete game shutout of the season. Facing only 26 batters, Rutledge allowed just four hits and had a season-high, six strikeouts.
Alvernia's pitcher, Brittanie Wolfe (6-3) gave up only one run on seven hits.
The Falcons carried their momentum into game two, posting a single run in the bottom of the first on a double from
Amanda Jones and an RBI single from Allen.
The Crusaders responded by scoring two runs in the fourth and added another in the fifth to take a 3-1 lead, but Messiah tied things up in the bottom of the fifth. An Alvernia error gave the Falcons their initial baserunner, but singles from Pompeo, Allen, and Notte helped drive in the game tying runs.
Alvernia's Aly Shilling kept things interesting in the top of the sixth when she took Messiah's pitcher,
Claressa Mees, deep for a solo shot over the centerfield fence to lead-off the inning. Mees retired the next three batters, but the damage had been done. The Crusaders once again held a slight 4-3 advantage.
Fortunately for the Falcons, they were entering their favorite inning, the bottom of the sixth. And boy did they deliver. The Falcons hit through their line up, posting six runs on four hits and two errors.
Tina Lehman's bases loaded ground out brought in the game-tying run early in the inning.
Amanda Jones followed Lehman's lead with a sacrifice bunt to put the Falcons ahead 5-4, while Pompeo's single extended the lead 6-4. In the next at-bat, Allen's three-run homerun put the game out of reach for the Crusaders.
With the win, Mees picked up her second complete game victory and moves to 4-2 on the year. She gave up four runs (two earned) on four hits while striking out four and walking four.
The Crusaders looked to Wolfe once again in game two, but the Falcons' offense forced her to exit during the bottom of the sixth. In 5.1 innings of work, she allowed nine runs on 12 hits before turning things over to Brianna Fisher. Fisher faced only five batters and gave up one hit and one walk.
The Falcons look to ride their recent wave of success into tomorrow's double-header with Dickinson College. Messiah will host the Red Devils at 3:30 p.m.
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