READING, Pa. - After rain shortened the MAC Commonwealth Tournament to a single-elimination format, the top-seeded Messiah Falcons held serve and claimed the 2022 Conference Championship with a 2-1 victory over third-seeded Lebanon Valley on Sunday afternoon. The Falcons scored both of their runs on a McKenzie Shannon double in the bottom of the third. Shannon's double drove home Hannah Dyer from first and after a pair of Dutchmen errors, Shannon raced around the bases for the second run.
 
In the circle, Madison Walter tossed a one-run complete game while striking out 10 batters in the Championship Game en route to Tournament Most Valuable Player honors.
 
With the victory, Messiah advances to the NCAA Tournament for the 13th time in program history. The Falcons will find out where they are heading for next weekend's Regional during the Selection Show that airs on Monday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. on ncaa.com.
 
How It Happened
After a pair of scoreless frames to begin the game, Messiah was on the board first in the bottom of the third. With one out, Hannah Dyer got the rally going with a bunt single to third. McKenzie Shannon followed by lifting a double to the gap in left center field. Dyer hustled around the bases, scoring from first on the play. The throw to the plate by the short stop went wide of the dish, allowing Shannon to advance to third. Lebanon Valley compounded their error by throwing the ball into left field for their second error of the play and Shannon came around to score Messiah's second run.
 
The wild play gave the Falcons a 2-0 lead after three innings.
 
That was all Madison Walter would need as the Falcons' ace controlled the contest. While Lebanon Valley got on the board in the top of the sixth, Walter and the Falcons escaped the jam with just one unearned run crossing the plate. In the frame, Walter got the first two batters of the inning on a strikeout and a fly out but an error on a groundball to third allowed the inning to continue. Back-to-back singles allowed a run to score, but with runners on second and third, Walter forced a groundball back to the circle to end the rally.
 
After Messiah's two-run third inning, base runners were at a premium for the Falcons. Olivia Denmark singled to lead off the sixth inning for Messiah's only baserunner in the final three trips to the plate. Denmark was replaced by pinch runner Sierra Emery as the Falcons looked for an insurance run. Emery advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt and a ground out, but she would be stranded 60 feet from home after a ground out to first ended the frame.
 
Lebanon Valley put the tying run on in the top of the seventh with a leadoff single, but a pair of groundouts were sandwiched around a strikeout as the Falcons earned the 2-1 victory for the MAC Commonwealth Championship.
 
What's Up Next
Messiah moves on to the NCAA Tournament after winning their 11th Conference Championship in program history and their first since 2018. The Falcons will find out where they are heading for next weekend's Regional Tournament on the NCAA Selection Show that will air on Monday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. on ncaa.com