Grantham, PA - Messiah College pushed their Commonwealth-leading record to 8-0 on Saturday with a doubleheader sweep of Hood College. The wins also improved the Falcons' overall record to 20-7, while Hood dropped to 6-16 (3-5).

Game One - Messiah 10, Hood 1 (5 inn.)

The Falcons scored in bunches during Game One, plating three runs in the first, two in the third, and five more in the fouth en route to a 10-1 victory. The five inning win was the Falcons's seventh mercy rule victory in double the amount of games (14). An impressive stat to say the least. 

Five Falcons collected multi-hit games with Amber Bingaman (two RBI), Amanda Jones (three RBI), and Katie Tankred (four RBI) all knocking in multiple runs.

Messiah strung together three hits resulting in three runs in the first frame. Carrie Fix's leadoff single and steal got things going for the Falcons then was followed by a walk from Becky Notte. In the next at-bat Jones brought both of them home with a one-out triple. She later scored on a single by Nicole Blantz.

The third inning was equally productive as both Notte and Bingaman doubled for two of the Falcons's three hits of the frame. Tankred singled up the middle to score both runs and give Messiah the 5-0 advantage.

The Falcons put the game away in the fourth when they plated five runs on five hits. This time around Fix, Notte, Jones, Bingaman, and Tankred all picked up hits. Jones and Tankred doubled and combined for three of the five RBI that inning. Bingaman's single brought in the other two runs.

Starter Claressa Mees held the Blazers to only four hits and one run against three strikeouts and one walk. Her only blemish came in the top of the fourth when she hit the leadoff batter who eventually made her way around the bases for the Blazers lone score. With the win, Mees moves to 10-3 on the season.

Game Two - Messiah 3, Hood 2

In Game Two the Falcons scored two unearned runs in the bottom of the sixth to rally from a 2-1 deficit to a 3-2 win.

The Blazers posted two runs in the top of the second to take the early lead, but the Falcons answered with a single run in the bottom of the frame. Messiah's run came off of a leadoff double by Notte, a single from Jones, and then an RBI single by Bingaman.

Neither team was able to muster much offense through the next three innings as the Blazers managed one hit while the Falcons picked up only two.

Momentum shifted into the Falcons' favor in the bottom of the sixth when Hood committed two defensive errors that led to both the tying and go-ahead runs ot cross the plate. The two unearned runs gave the Falcons the 3-2 lead and eventual win.

Courtney Allen (4-0) hurled 6.2 innings of five hit ball, allowing just two earned runs against a single walk and five strikeouts. Claressa Mees came in for the final out of the game, striking out Sophia Leaman to seal the victory.

With the two wins the Falcons move to 20-7 overall and retain their undefeated record at home (7-0) and in the Middle Atlantic Conference (8-0). They will look to improve their home record next week when they host Shenandoah University on Wednesday. The double header is slated to begin at 3:30 p.m.