DALLAS, Pa. - The Messiah softball team suffered a tight 1-0 loss against the Misericordia Cougars on Sunday afternoon. The Cougars scored the lone run of the contest in the bottom of the third with an RBI double by Zariah Alvin. It was a true pitcher's dual with Messiah's Madison Walter and Misericordia's Alexa McHugh going pitch for pitch for the entirety of the afternoon.

Walter allowed just four hits and one run while striking out eight and walking none. McHugh was just a run better, tossing a seven-inning shutout with three walks and two walks while striking out 11 to earn the victory.

Lydia Collison was the lone Falcon to pick up multiple hits, going 2-2 with a single and a double in the contest.

Messiah will wrap-up the regular season on Tuesday afternoon with a doubleheader at Lebanon Valley, beginning at 3:00 p.m.

How It Happened
Messiah put a runner on base in all but the first and sixth innings, using three hits and a pair of walks. While quality chances were hard to come by, Messiah did put runners in scoring position with less than two outs in the third and seventh. In the third, a one-out double Lydia Collison knocked a double to left center, but was left stranded with a strikeout and a fly out.

A clutch two-out double by Zariah Alvin for Misericordia in the bottom of the third drove home a lead-off single for the first, and only, run of the game.

The Falcons put another runner in scoring postilion with a lead off walk to Olivia Denmark and a fielder's choice to move her over to second. The late-inning threat was stifled with back-to-back strikeouts to end the game and seal the 1-0 victory for the Cougars.

What's Up Next
The Falcons are back in action on Tuesday for their regular season finale against the Dutchmen for a doubleheader in Annville. Game One gets started at 3:00 p.m.