Winter Haven, FL - The Messiah College Falcons (2-4) opened their Spring Break trip on Monday with losses to both McDaniel and SUNY Cortland.

Game One - McDaniel 9, Messiah 1

The Green Terror (6-1) posted four runs in the opening two frames, creating a difficult deficit for the Falcons to overcome. Defensive errors proved quite costly for Messiah in their first game of the week, as their miscues allowed two more runs against. In the end, McDaniel doubled the Falcons' hits (12-6) and walked away with a five inning (mercy rule) win.

The Falcons struggled to produce runs throughout the game, despite having runners on base in each inning.

In the first, Courtney Allen doubled then made her way to third on a wild pitch, but was stranded while in scoring position. Katie Tankred singled in the third and was aggressive on the bases when the next batter, Emily Quatrale, singled to right field. Tankred motored through second in an attempt to advance, but was caught at third on a bang-bang play from right field to third base.

The Falcons continued to plug away in the third and broke through their scoring drought. Courtney Allen doubled once again, scoring Amber Bingaman, who singled to leadoff the inning.

Carrie Fix reignited the offense in the fifth with a double of her own, but her efforts weren't enough as the Falcons failed to drive her in.

The Green Terror's bats, on the otherhand, were hot from the start. In the bottom of the first, they strung together three singles and a double to take an early 3-0 lead then added single runs in the second, third, and fourth innings. McDaniel sealed the deal in the fifth with back-to-back singles that scored another run.

Following a walk in the next at-bat, the Falcons pulled starting pitcher Claressa Mees to bring in Alyssa Herr. After inheriting two baserunners, Herr walked a run in and gave up an RBI single to end the game.

Mees (1-1) gave up seven earned runs on nine hits through four innings to take the loss.

Game Two - SUNY Cortland 4, Messiah 1

The Red Dragons (1-4) scored three runs in the sixth inning to pull ahead 4-0 over Messiah in an eventual 4-1 win. The Falcons' lone run came across on a groundout by Courtney Allen in the sixth. Carrie Fix (1-3) went the distance and was pitching well before Cortland broke things open late in the game. She finished with four strikeouts against four hits, though she also walked three and was charged with three wild pitches.

Messiah's offense attempted to rebound in their second game of the day, but Cortland seemed to have a defensive answer for everything the Falcons threw at them.

In the bottom of the first, Amanda Jones bunted-for-a-hit then stole second to put herself in scoring positon. In the next at-bat, Courtney Allen flew out to left field and Jones tug-up. In an attempt to advance on the throw, Jones was called out for leaving early; ending the inning.

The Red Dragons struck first in the top of the third, posting one run on zero hits. They scored their run on a walk, a groundout, and two wild pitches.

The Falcons attempted to get the run back in the bottom of the inning, but their luck continued to waver. The Red Dragons thwarted every offensive attempt that the Falcons could muster.

Brooke Pompeo led off the inning with a walk, but Sydney Boreman failed to get the bunt down, eventually fouling out to the catcher. Nicole Blantz tried to move Pompeo up to second in the next at-bat, but the Red Dragons made the play at second to get the lead runner. Moments later Carrie Fix hit the ball up the middle but Cortland's shortstop, Erin Wolstenholme, came up with the big play. As she dove toward the ball it deflected off of her glove and rolled directly to second base for the out.

Becky Notte nearly broke things open in the bottom of the fourth when she took one deep to centerfield, but the Red Dragons were there, once again, to make the catch at the warning track.

In the top of the sixth Cortland extended their lead to 4-0, taking advantage of a lead-off walk, a wild pitch, and two singles. 

The Falcons responded by posting a run of their own in the bottom of the frame. Amanda Jones drove the ball to right field for a one-out triple then was hit in by Courtney Allen in the next at-bat on a ground out to second base.

Yet their efforts weren't enough.

After holding Cortland scoreless in the top of the seventh, the Falcons failed to counter in their last attempts.

Jones led the Falcons with two hits (3B, 1B) and a stolen base. Katie Tankred and Amber Bingaman each picked up a hit in the game.

The Falcons return to action tomorrow to face Rowan University at 10:00 a.m. and Springfield College at 2:30 p.m.