YORK, Pa. – The No. 4 Messiah softball team lost both contests of the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Commonwealth Championship opposite No. 3 York College (Pa.), falling short in Game One, 3-0, and dropping the second game, 9-1 (5 inn.), on Saturday afternoon. On the day, Madison Walter tossed a total of 7.2 innings, striking out seven batters, while Elianna Litwin recorded a multi-hit (2) game in Game Two.
 
The Falcons made their 15th program appearance in a MAC Championship series as their all-time record in conference championship action falls to 10-9. On the season, Messiah concludes with an overall record of 16-12.
 
Game One
The opening game of the championship series featured a fast first frame as York pitcher Shyla Pastore and Walter each issued one-two-three innings. Messiah shortstop Paige Eakes flashed her leather in the field, snagging a line drive to her right side to retire York leadoff batter Elle Myer.
 
Both pitchers breezed through the second inning as Lydia Collison was the game's first baserunner to reach safely, singling through the right side for her eighth hit of the year. Collison was not on base for long, making an out on the base paths while trying to steal second base. York recorded its first hit in the bottom half of the frame, a one-out single down the right field line by Hannah Vogt. Walter was able to work out of the runner-on jam, inducing her fourth strikeout of the game for the second out of the inning, escaping the frame with a flyout to left field. Through three innings, the two sides were scoreless.
 
The Falcons threatened in the top of the fourth inning when Eakes ripped a two-out double to right center field, the first extra-base hit of the contest, but Messiah was unable to cash in after an Isabel Seise ended the frame.
 
The Spartans jumped out to a 3-0 advantage in the bottom of the fifth inning. Recording three hits on the inning, the big blow came from the bat of Natalie Decena, a two-run triple to deep center field to add to York's lead. Walter, after over 36 innings pitched in the MAC Commonwealth Tournament, had finally allowed her first earned run of the postseason to cross home plate.
 
Trailing, 3-0, and down to their final six outs, the Falcons were unable to muster a response to their deficit. Despite going scoreless in the opening game of the doubleheader, McKenzie Shannon, Eakes, and Collison all hit safely for Messiah.
 
Walter, who pitched all six innings of the contest for Messiah, recorded seven strikeouts, upping her season total to 113. With the Game One loss, the Falcons drop to an overall record of 16-11 ahead of the second contest.
 
Game Two
For the second time this postseason, the Falcons faced elimination, but got their offense going early. Shannon and Alexa Burger began the game with back-to-back base hits, putting runners on second and third base with no outs. After a fielding error granted Eakes a pass to first base, Messiah had the bases loaded. Litwin got the Falcons on the board for the first time of the day, poking a single through the right side to give Messiah an early 1-0 edge. The Spartans were firm in their defense, turning three ground balls into outs to escape the bases-loaded jam.
 
Brynne Baker made the start for the Falcons, the sophomore's ninth start of the season. Baker breezed through the first inning, retiring the Spartans in order. After recording the first two outs of the bottom of the second inning, York put together a two-out rally to tie the game, 1-1, on a run-scoring knock from Vogt. After the Falcons were retired in order in the top half of the third, the Spartans threatened to take the lead in the bottom half of the frame. With runners on second and third base with two outs, Baker escaped by issuing her third strikeout of the game.
 
The game opened up in the bottom of the fourth inning as the Spartans plated five runs to take a commanding 6-1 lead. The hosts used two extra-base, run-scoring hits to deliver the blows. Halfway through the inning, Walter entered the game in relief of Baker for her second pitching appearance of the doubleheader.
 
Messiah had just nine outs to erase a five-run deficit. Isabel Seise ripped a one-out single in the top of the fifth inning, but York pitcher Pastore, who pitched all 12 innings of the day for York, was able to escape the frame.
 
York plated three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to clinch the championship, 9-1, by run-limit rule.
 
Messiah had six batters hit safely in Game Two, highlighted by Litwin's fifth multi-hit performance of the season. Karlee Stocksdale reached base on a single, recording three putouts in right field.
 
What's Next
 The Falcons end the 2021 campaign with an overall record of 16-12, going 4-3 in postseason play.