GRANTHAM, Pa. – The Messiah softball team dropped a pair of contests against the York Spartans on Sunday afternoon. The Spartans prevailed 4-2 in Game One while edging the Falcons 6-3 in the night cap. Messiah did all of their damage with two swings of the bat with Brynne Baker launching a two-run home run in the bottom of the seventh in Game One. McKenzie Shannon drove home three runs in Game Two with a bases loaded double in the sixth inning.
 
With the sweep the Spartans move to 4-0 on the young season while the Falcons fall to 2-6 overall and in the conference. Messiah will be back in action on Saturday when they host the Eastern Eagles for a doubleheader beginning at 1:00 p.m.
 
Game One – York defeats Messiah, 4-2
It took six innings to get the Falcons' bats going in Game One of a doubleheader against the York Spartans on Sunday afternoon. Brynne Baker hammered a two-run home run down the left field line with one away in the bottom of the seventh. The blast cut a four-run Spartans lead in half, but it was not enough as the Falcons dropped the first game of the afternoon by a 4-2 final.
 
Messiah's Madison Walter and York's Taylor Lindsay went toe-to-toe for the first six innings of play, allowing just one run between the two of them. Walter scattered seven hits throughout the first six frames while wiggling out of numerous jams throughout the game. Lindsay was dominate at times through the first six frames, allowing just one hit and striking out a half dozen Falcons.
 
York was the only team to scratch across a run during the pitcher's duel that was going on, plating a run on a triple from Alyssa Harhigh in the top of the third. Walter stranded Harhigh at third with a pair of line outs and a strikeout to keep it a 1-0 game.
 
Paige Eakes matched the triple from Harhigh with one of her own in the bottom of the fourth, but she was cut down at the plate attempting to tie the game on a double play.
 
The pitcher's duel abruptly ended in the seventh when Messiah and York combined for five runs on five hits. The Spartans scored three runs in the top of the inning to take a 4-0 lead. Messiah put a runner on when Eakes lined a single up the middle with one away for Messiah's second hit of the day. Brynne Baker then laced the first pitch she saw down the left field line for a two-run homer to put the Falcons on the board and cut the Spartans lead in half.
 
It was not enough as a strikeout and a fly out ended the game and gave the Spartans a 4-2 victory.
 
Game Two of the twin-bill will get underway later this afternoon with the Falcons looking to salvage one game from the four-game series.
 
Game Two – York defeats Messiah, 6-3
After a scoreless first inning, the Spartans jumped all over the Falcons in the top of the second, scoring four runs on three hits to take an early lead. After a strike out to start the second inning, the next three York hitters reached base with a hit-by-pitch and a pair of singles. A walk with the bases loaded forced in the first run of the game. An infield fly got the Falcons the second out of the inning, but another walk chased a second run home for York. Alyssa Harhigh delivered the big hit in the inning, singling home two runs with a knock up the middle.
 
The four-run lead would hold all the way into the sixth, when York tacked on two insurance runs off a double by Harhigh. A double and an error started the frame and later in the inning, with two away, Harhigh lifted a fly ball down the left field line. The hit landed on the warning track right on the chalk of the left field line, making it a 6-0 Spartans' lead.
 
Messiah had picked up just four hits through the first five frames, but quickly loaded the bases with a pair of singles and a walk to start the bottom of the sixth. With one away, McKenzie Shannon lined a three-run double off the third baseman's glove. The two-bagger chased Brynne Baker, Paige Eakes, and Elle Litwin home and cut the York lead in half at 6-3. Despite another walk, Messiah was unable to cut into the deficit anymore.
 
A quiet seventh inning gave the Spartans the 6-3 victory in Game Two of Sunday's doubleheader.
 
What's Up Next
The Falcons will be back in action on Saturday when they host the Eastern Eagles for a doubleheader beginning at 1:00 p.m. Saturday will be the first-ever conference games for Messiah against Eastern as the Eagles just joined the MAC Commonwealth prior to this season.