Winter Haven, FL - The Falcons fell behind early in both of their games Wednesday, but rallied to come-from-behind in each contest.

They battled back from a 4-0 deficit to pull even with No.12 Kean University going into the final frame Wednesday morning, but the Cougars delivered the go-ahead run in the top of the seventh to take the 5-4 victory.

The Falcons came on strong in the late stages of their game against Ramapo College, overcoming a 3-1 deficit to claim the 4-3 win.

Game One - No.12 Kean 5, Messiah 4

The Falcons nearly upended No.12 Kean University in come-from-behind fashion, but the Cougars came through late in the game to take the 5-4 win.

Both teams struggled to produce much offense in the opening innings until Kean capitalized in the third. After a walk and a single put two runners on base, Emily Bissonnette delivered a single that scored both runners. Following another walk, Katie Garbarino drove in the Cougars's third run of the inning with a single to short. A fielding error by Amanda Jones allowed another run to score, brining Kean's lead to 4-0.

Despite the rough inning Claressa Mees shutdown the Cougars through the next few frames, giving up only two hits while retiring six batters.

The Falcons chipped away at their deficit in the fourth and fifth innings after coming up empty in the bottom of the third. Courtney Allen led the charge in the fourth with a single and a stolen base, yet it was a triple from Amanda Jones that drove her in. Brooke Pompeo followed suit with an RBI single to bring the Falcons within two. In the fifth the Falcons tacked on another run, drawing even closer to the Cougars. Carrie Fix doubled and was knocked in by Tina Lehman's single down the right field line, bringing the score to 4-3.

The equalizer came in the bottom of the sixth when Amanda Jones and Brooke Pompeo combined to deliver the game-tying run. Jones jump started the Falcons' offense with a lead-off single then moved into scoring position on a stolen base. In the next at-bat, Pompeo sacrificed herself and was out at first, allowing Jones to score on the play. Katie Tankred followed with a single then Emily Quatrale reached on a defensive error, but the Falcons couldn't deliver the go-ahead run, leaving two runners on base.

In the top of the seventh, the Cougars replicated the Falcons' efforts with a lead-off single, stolen base, and an RBI single to take the 5-4 lead.

The Falcons failed to score in the bottom of the inning, despite their best efforts, and move to 3-6 with the hard-fought loss.

Seven different Falcons provided hits for Messiah with Lehman (1), Jones (1), and Pompeo (2) picking up the RBIs. Mees (1-3) went the distance for the Falcons, giving up five runs on seven hits. She had 10 strikeouts and three walks.   

Game Two - Messiah 4 vs. Ramapo 3

Three different pitchers saw time during the Falcons' 4-3 come-from-behind victory over Ramapo College.

Carrie Fix started the game and threw just 2.2 innings before giving up the ball to Courtney Allen. Fix left the circle after giving up three runs on five hits with three walks and two strikeouts. Allen's performance was solid as she gave up only two hits and two walks in 3.1 innings of work, earning her first win of the season. Claressa Mees was brought in in the bottom of the seventh to seal the deal for the Falcons, picking up her first save of the season.

The Roadrunners had Fix's number from their very first at-bats. In the opening inning they strung together two hits, two walks, and two sacrifice flies for the 2-0 lead. The Falcons responded in the top of the third when Fix helped her team on the offensive end with doubled to left center, driving in Messiah's first run of the game. Ramapo countered in the top of the third, though, adding another run to reclaim the two point spread and consequently bumping Fix out of the circle.

Enter Courtney Allen.

Allen held the Roadrunners scoreless through the next three innings, retiring all but four of 13 batters faced.

The Falcons rode this momentum into the fifth and sixth innings, posting three runs to pull ahead 4-3. In the top of the fifth, Amber Bingaman walked then advanced to third on a double from Nicole Blantz. Fix cleared the bases in the next at-bat with a single up the middle. In the next inning, Allen led off with a single to center, then moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Brooke Pompeo drove her in with a single to right field in the next at-bat.

Messiah was ever so close to breaking things open in the seventh, but couldn't deliver. They had a runner on third with only one out, but failed to drive her in, grounding out to the pitcher in both of the final two at-bats.

With the 4-3 lead, Allen walked the leadoff batter in the top of the seventh, forcing Falcons to make another pitching change. This time the ball went to Mees who closed out the game in good form. She retired the side with a strikeout and two groundout, securing the win for Messiah

Offensively, Fix led the Falcons with two hits and three RBI, while Pompeo went 2-3 with one RBI.

Messiah will take the next few days off then return to action on Saturday to play Elmhurst College at 9:00 a.m. and Carleton College at 11:00 a.m.