5-1-15-sb
5
Winner Lebanon Valley LVC 14-21
3
Messiah College MESSW 30-8
Winner
Lebanon Valley LVC
14-21
5
Final
3
Messiah College MESSW
30-8
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Lebanon Valley LVC 0 0 0 3 2 0 0 5 6 0
Messiah College MESSW 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 3 6 2

W: H. Neff (8-10) L: Mees, Claressa (15-4)

Game Recap: Softball |

Falcons Drop C'Wealth Tourney Opener to LVC

Grantham, PA - The No. 1 Messiah College Falcons (30-8) dropped their opening game of the Commonwealth Tournament 5-3 to No. 4 Lebanon Valley College (14-21) Friday. 

Despite striking first with a single run in the second, the Falcons fell behind after the Dutchmen countered with three big runs in the top of the third. Katie Tankred's two-run homerun in the bottom of the frame equalized things at 3-3, yet Lebanon Valley posted two more runs in the fifth to claim the 5-3 advantage and eventual upset.

Claressa Mees started for the Falcons, but gave up several extra-base hits before being relieved by Courtney Allen. In 4.2 innings of work, Mees gave up four hits against two walks and one strikeout. With the loss, she moves to 15-4 on the season.

Lebanon Valley's pitcher, Haley Neff (8-10), kept the Falcons off-balance throughout the game; limiting their offensive production. In fact, Messiah's first four hitters were without a hit Friday.

Amber Bingaman (3-3) and Katie Tankred (1-2) came up big for the Falcons, delivering three important RBI. Bingaman brought in the Falcons' first run in the bottom of the second when she hit a little blooper toward first base. The Dutchmen failed to cover the base, allowing Bingaman to be safe at first and Courtney Allen to score.

Tankred provided Messiah's highlight-of-the-game when she went deep in the bottom of the third. Her two-run shot to left center brought the score even at 3-3.

The Falcons and the Dutchmen each tallied six hits in the game, yet Lebanon Valley found the green more frequently with three doubles and one triple. Lebanon Valley also took advantage of two Messiah errors in the top of the fourth to post three runs on only one hit.

Momentum tipped in the Dutchmen's favor in the top of the fifth after a two-out, RBI double from Emily Johnson forced the Falcons to make a pitching change. With Mees out and Allen in, Lebanon Valley scored one more run on one hit to take the 5-3 lead.

The Falcons attempted a rally in their final at-bats with Bingaman and Alyssa Herr each picking up hits in the frame; yet their efforts weren't enough.

Fortunately for the Falcons they live to see another day in the double elimination format. They will face No. 3 Stevenson University at 1:00 p.m. Saturday.