Grantham, PA – The No. 25 Falcons (11-2) took a pair of three-run wins over York College of Pa. (11-5) on Thursday.

Game One - Messiah 3, York 0
The Falcons used a three-run second inning to claim a 3-0 win over the Spartans in Game One of Thursday's double header. Amber Bingaman delivered a two-run homerun in the second to lead the Falcons.
 
The Spartans were on the verge of scoring in the top of the second, but the Falcons' right-hander, Courtney Allen, worked out of a tight spot in the top of the second to hold York at bay. The Spartans had runners on first and second with no outs, but Allen retired the side on two pop ups and a strikeout.
 
The Falcons were the first to score in Game One, posting three runs on four hits in the bottom of the second. They were a single short of the cycle in the frame.

Becky Notte got things going with a lead-off double to left field then was followed by an RBI triple from Amanda Jones. Amber Bingaman busted things open in the next at-bat when she drove the ball well over the center field fence for her third homerun of the season. Sydney Boreman followed suit with another blast to center field, resulting in a double to give Messiah the early 3-0 lead.
 
The Spartans got their first hits of the game in the top of the third, but the Falcons worked their way out of the jam with a bang-bang play from Notte. Notte caught a one-out bunt that was popped up then threw down to first, catching the runner snoozing for the final outs of the frame.
 
Following their third inning breakout, the Falcons struggled to create many scoring opportunities on the offensive end. In both the fourth and the fifth, Messiah went three up-three down, resulting in limited to no offensive action.
 
Fortunately for the Falcons, the Spartans had their own struggles. Starter Courtney Allen kept them on their toes and was sharp all game from the mound. She held the Spartans to just three hits, had five strikeouts, and walked three for her first shutout of the season. With the 3-0 win, Allen improves to 7-0 on the year.

Game Two - Messiah 8, York 5
The Falcons scored eight runs on 10 hits in the second game of Thursday's double header. Several miscues by the Spartans also contributed to the 8-5 victory for Messiah.

A one-out error by the Spartans' second baseman proved costly in the first inning, allowing the Falcons to score two runs on the failed play.

The 2-0 lead held until the third inning when Erin Cressman, who leads the team in slugging percentage (.658), knocked in three more runs on a two-out triple to right center. Brooke Pompeo, Courtney Allen, and Amanda Jones all scored on the play. 

The Spartans' breakout moment came in the top of the fourth when the middle of the their lineup delivered two runs on two hits. Courtney Gall hit a one-out single down the right field line to drive in both runs and bring the score to 5-2.

Messiah extended their lead in the bottom of the sixth, using a two-out rally to score three more runs.

Cressman became the Falcons' first base runner in the frame thanks to an error by starting pitcher Courtney Martin. Following a sacrifice bunt and a ground out, Madelyn Yannetti, who entered the game in the fifth in relief of Carrie Fix, singled to right center for her first RBI of the season. In the next at-bat Fix delivered an RBI double to left center for another Falcon run. Pompeo knocked in the final run of the inning with another hit to left center, this time an RBI single to give Messiah the 8-2 advantage.

The Spartans battled until the very end and made the Falcons sweat a little. In the top of the seventh, York came up with their own two-out rally, stringing together three doubles and a walk to score three runs. Despite all of the excitement, Yannetti buckled down and ended the game with a final strikeout for the 8-5 victory.

Six different Falcons picked up hits in Game Two with Pompeo (3), Fix (2), and Allen (2) leading the way. Cressman led the team in RBI with three, while Fix, Pompeo, and Yannetti were each credited with one RBI.

Fix earned the win and moves to 4-1 on the season. In four innings of work, she held the Spartans to two runs on six hits. Yannetti faced 13 batters and allowed three runs on four hits.

The sweep moves the Falcons to 11-2 overall. They will open MAC Commonwealth play next Thursday when they host Alvernia University. The double header is scheduled to begin at 3:00 p.m.