Annville, PA – Messiah College split two today but the lone loss proved costly as it eliminated the Falcons from the Commonwealth Tournament.
 
Messiah entered today after losing 5-3 yesterday to Lebanon Valley, and they defeated Stevenson 4-2 to stay alive. But the Dutchmen played the spoiler for the No. 1 seed Falcons, as they ousted Messiah with a 5-4 walk-off win.
 
Now 31-8 on the season, Messiah will hope for an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Falcons were ranked No. 5 in the latest East Regional rankings.
 
Game One – Messiah 4, Stevenson 2
Things started off dangerously for Messiah against Stevenson as the first three batters reached base against Claressa Mees. A single and a groundout pushed two runs across for the Mustangs, and Messiah was already in a hole.
 
Thankfully, Messiah received some help in the bottom of the first to even the score. Carrie Fix scored on a wild pitch, and Amber Bingaman continued her strong weekend with an RBI single to even the game at 2-2.
 
Messiah left two runners on base in the second and one more in the third, and both teams traded zeros until the bottom of the sixth. A leadoff walk to Fix set up a rally, and Courtney Allen soon singled and stole second to put runners on second and third with one out. A sac fly by Becky Notte put Messiah up 3-2, and Allen came home as well on an error by the left fielder.
 
In the Mustangs' last at-bat Mees found some fortune after allowing back-to-back leadoff singles; soon, with runners on first and third and one out, Mees induced a flyout to left field and the Falcons doubled off the runner at second to end the game.
 
Mees went the distance and allowed six hits and two earned runs against two walks and two strikeouts. Fix collected two of the Falcons' four hits.
 
Game Two – Lebanon Valley 5, Messiah 4
Messiah rode their momentous win over Stevenson to a 2-0 lead against Lebanon Valley in the first inning. All hits and runs came with two outs as Allen (double), Notte (single, RBI), and Bingaman (single, RBI) helped Messiah go on top.
 
Lebanon Valley earned a run back in the bottom of the first and they would have gotten more if not for Bingaman throwing out Sammy Bost at home for the third out.
 
With their lead 2-1, Messiah added single runs in the second and third to build a small lead. Fix (single) and Notte (sac fly) pushed the runs home, but a double play off a liner by Amanda Jones ended the third before Messiah could add more.
 
The hard-luck double play proved even worse when the Dutchmen rallied to tie the game in their very next at-bat. They opened the frame with three-straight singles, the last of which made it 4-2. A sac fly and an error by Brooke Pompeo allowed single runs to come across, and the game was tied 4-4. 
 
The game remained tied until the bottom of the seventh when a leadoff single and a steal by Teresa Deardorff set up the game-winning run. A sac bunt put her on third, and Messiah then walked two to load the bases.
 
Looking for a groundball, Messiah got a hard shot towards Emily Quatrale at second. She threw home and got the force out, and Notte then tried to relay to first for the double play. The runner was safe at first, however, Sammy Bost slyly turned around third and headed home. Katie Tankred's throw back to Notte did not beat Bost who slid across with the game-winning run.
 
Courtney Allen went 6.1 innings and allowed four earned runs on six hits. She walked five and struck out two. Messiah collected 10 hits in the game, two each from Allen, Bingaman, and Nicole Blantz.