ST. DAVIDS, Pa. – The No. 4 Messiah softball team clinched a dramatic walk-off decision in Game Three of the MAC Commonwealth Quarterfinals, topping No. 5 Eastern University, 2-1, in eight innings in St. Davids, Pa., on Sunday afternoon.
Madison Walter pitched all eight innings of the contest, earning her ninth win of the season, allowing just one run on three hits, striking out three batters.
Lydia Collison provided the game-winning knock for the Falcons, a bases-loaded rip down the third base line in the bottom of the eighth inning to plate
Joy Hedrick. Seven Falcons hit safely in the win as
Brynne Baker and
Elena Rosas provided extra-base hits.
Walter, who combined for a total of 22 innings pitched in the Quarterfinals, including a no-hitter in Game One, notched her twelfth complete game of the season.
Elimination Game Tension
The Falcons and Eagles, squaring off in a winner-take-all matchup, played a tightly-contested game. Messiah, once again, turned to Walter to help stave off elimination. In the first three frames, Walter retired all nine batters she faced, striking out two. The junior pitcher was beginning right where she left off after completing a total of 14 innings pitched in a home doubleheader yesterday against Eastern.
The Falcons got on the board first, taking a 1-0 edge in the bottom of the third inning. Rosas got things going with a leadoff double to right center, and scored on the following play on a throwing error from Eastern's pitcher. The next three Messiah batters were retired, but the Falcons had their lead.
The Eagles answered promptly, leveling the score at 1-1 in the top of the fourth inning. The Eagles' Sami Britton, who entered the decisive playoff game with a team-leading .411 batting average, led off the inning with a double. Walter retired the next two batters, but a fielding error allowed Britton to cross the plate to tie the game.
With the score tied, Walter settled in the driver's seat. The junior pitcher allowed the leadoff runner to reach on a hit-by-pitch, but answered by sitting down the next three batters. Messiah threatened in the bottom of the fifth inning, taking advantage of a
Sarah Lippin single and an Eastern error to board two runners, but Lippin was thrown out by Eastern catcher Susana Perez trying to swipe third, ending the frame.
In the sixth and seventh innings, Walter allowed just one batter to reach on a two-out single in the seventh. Victoria Perez grounded out to end the inning, giving Walter her seventh complete inning pitched in the game. In the bottom half of the frame, the Falcons had a chance to steal the win before heading to extra innings.
Elianna Litwin led off the inning with a single up the middle, advancing to second on a Rosas sacrifice bunt. With a runner in scoring position with just one out,
Olivia Denmark, who led the Falcons in batting average (.405) entering the game, pinch hit for Collison. Denmark worked a walk as a fielder's choice from Lippin put two outs on the board. Freshman catcher
McKenzie Shannon ripped a single to left field to load the bases, but the Eagles escaped the jam when
Alexa Burger grounded into a fielder's choice. The decisive Game Three was heading for extra innings.
Extra Inning Dramatics
Walter trotted back into the circle to pitch her eighth inning of the game and 22nd inning of the playoff round. Walter allowed just one runner to reach on a fielding error and was the core of a clutch, inning-ending double play. With a runner on first and one out, Emily Loomis laced a come-backer right into Walter's glove, who fired to first base to double up Britton.
Following the double play, Messiah had momentum entering the bottom half of the inning. The Falcons' were able to scratch across the series-clinching tally with a bit of small ball. Baker and Litwin each worked walks, and Messiah loaded the bases after Rosas reached on a throwing error by the shortstop. In stepped Collison, who proved to be the hero with a hot-shot down the third base line to plate pinch runner Hedrick for the game-winning run. Messiah prevailed in extra innings, 2-1, earning a spot in the MAC Commonwealth Semifinals.
Series Notables
As mentioned, Walter provided 22 innings of pitching for the Falcons. Across those innings, the junior pitcher faced a total of 78 batters, allowing just three runs, all unearned. Walter upped her season strikeout total to a team-high 93 after fanning twelve batters on the weekend. With a 9-5 record, Walter has twelve complete games pitched on the season.
Overall, the series was low-scoring, as Messiah scored eight runs in the three contests. Contributing RBI were Shannon (2), Litwin (1), and Collison (1). The Falcons had many sources of offense today as seven different batters recorded hits.
What's Next
With the victory, the Falcons advance to the MAC Commonwealth Semifinals. No. 4 Messiah will clash with top-seeded Alvernia University in a best-of-three series to be played May 8-9.
