WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – The Messiah University softball team earned a pair of shutout victories over Neumann University on Saturday afternoon at the Diamond Plex in Winter Haven, Fla. The Falcons, flying south to Florida for the weekend, topped the Knights in Game One, 10-0, and completed the sweep in Game Two with a commanding 15-0 win. Both contests lasted just five innings as Messiah improved to 3-1 in the 2023 campaign.
 
The Falcons launched two home runs in Game One, courtesy of Alexa Burger and McKenzie Shannon. Lydia Collison made her second start of the season, shutting down the Knights' offense with five strong innings.

Messiah totaled 18 hits across the two games, outscoring the Knights 25-0 to begin its Florida trip. Shannon had a multi-hit performance in Game One as Kylie Mellage and Brielle Rosario each had two-hit performances in Game Two. 
 
Game One – Messiah 10, Neumann 0 (5 inn.)
Messiah got off to a fast start in Game One, plating four runs on three hits. Shannon produced the first run-scoring knock, plating on a single to right field. The big hit of the inning came off the bat of Ellie Litwin, a two-run single to left field to give the Falcons a 3-0 advantage. Litwin stole a base to put herself in scoring position, setting up Rebekah Wiley. Wiley contributed as her third hit of the season increased the lead to 4-0.
 
The Falcons continued to produce offensively, scoring three more runs in the second frame to jump out to a seven-run lead. Messiah launched two home runs in the third inning to plate three more runs. Burger hit her second home run of the season with the bases cleared and two outs on the scoreboard as Shannon hit a two-run dinger two batters later.
 
Messiah held on to a 10-0 lead as Collison closed the doors in the fifth inning of play, earning the Game One win.
 
Shannon provided an impressive offensive performance, going 3-for-3 at the dish while driving in a team-high three runs. The junior catcher hit her first home run of the season with her third-inning long ball. The Falcons had a total of eight hits.
 
Game Two – Messiah 15, Neumann 0 (5 inn.)
Kelli Durbin made the Game Two start for Messiah, her second start of the season. Riding the momentum of a 10-0 decision in Game One, Durbin pitched well, not allowing a run to the Neumann offense.
 
The Falcons' offense picked up right where they left off from Game One, plating two runs in the opening frame to grab a quick lead. Mellage got things going with a double which was followed with a walk by Shannon. Hanna Dyer issued a two-run double to right-center field to give Messiah the lead, the sophomore shortstop's first extra-base hit of the season.
 
With a four-run lead (4-0)  in the third inning, Messiah scored nine runs to separate itself from Neumann. With five hits from five different players, the Falcons extended their lead to a dominating 13-run advantage. Jaden Keister supplied a two-run double as Ali Wagner (2 RBI) and Maddie Williams (1 RBI) also contributed run-scoring hits.
 
Messiah scored a run in each of the fourth and fifth innings to solidify the 15-0 victory. The Falcons totaled 10 hits in the Game Two victory to earn their third victory of the season.

What's Next
Messiah (3-1) continues its Florida action tomorrow morning with a game against Cabrini University at 9:00am. The Falcons will then take on the Milwaukee School of Engineering at 11:00am, both games will take place at the Diamond Plex in Winter Haven, Florida.