READING, Pa. – Playing in their first conference games of the season, the Messiah softball team turned in victories of 10-0 and 8-0 against the Albright Lions on Saturday afternoon. The Falcons allowed just one hit in Game One while knocking 13 hits and scoring 10 runs in a five-inning game. Game Two featured five extra-base hits as the Falcons picked up their second-straight shutout.
 
McKenzie Shannon hammered a home run in each game to bump her season total to five. On Thursday, Shannon hit a home run in both games of a doubleheader against Marymount and has now homered in each of her last four games.
 
With the convincing sweep, the Falcons move to 10-5 on the season and start the conference slate 2-0. Messiah has now won six-straight games after starting the season 4-5 and will be back in action on Tuesday afternoon when they travel to Gettysburg to take on the Bullets at 3:00 p.m.
 
Game One – Messiah defeats Albright – 10-0 (5 inn.)
The Falcons smacked 13 hits in a five-inning victory in Game One, scoring 10 runs and claiming the run-shortened run. Two first-inning runs got things started for the Falcons with Hannah Dyer and Elianna Litwin driving home runs. After a quiet second inning, Messiah added two more runs in the third on a Rebekah Willey RBI double and a run scoring groundout from Allie Book.
 
Messiah really broke things open in the fourth with a five-run frame, scoring their runs on seven hits. McKenzie Shannon roped a two-run double and Elianna Litwin, Allie Book, and Kyley Mellage all drove home runs on singles. The result was a 9-0 Messiah lead.
 
McKenzie Shannon put the cherry on top of the 10-0 victory with a solo home run in the top of the fifth.
 
In the circle, Lydia Collison tossed four innings of one-hit ball while striking out three. Kelli Durbin pitched the final frame striking out one to close out the victory.
 
Game Two – Messiah defeats Albright – 8-0 (6 inn.)
Saturday's second game was much of the same with the Falcons dominating in all facets of the game. Messiah earned the 8-0 victory in six innings, scoring twice in the second and adding two more in the third. Another McKenzie Shannon solo home run in the fifth bumped the lead to 5-0 before the Falcons scored three in the sixth.
 
In the early innings, Allie Book, Maggie Chinnadurai, and Ali Wagner all drove home runs on RBI doubles while Hannah Dyer brought home Wagner with a single in the third.
 
As mentioned, McKenzie Shannon continued her home run hitting ways with a solo shot in the fifth to take the Falcons' lead up to 5-0.
 
Kyley Mellage, Alexa Burger, and Shannon all drove home runs in the sixth as the Falcons claimed Game Two by an 8-0 final score.
 
Maggie Chinnadurai tossed 5.1 innings, allowing just three hits and striking out four in her third victory of the season. Durbin got the final two outs as Messiah moved to 10-5 on the season.
 
What's Up Next
With the doubleheader sweep, Messiah moves to 10-5 on the season. The games with Albright were their first against the MAC Commonwealth this season. The Falcons begin the conference scheduled 2-0. A non-conference doubleheader against the Gettysburg Bullets is next on the schedule for the Falcons at 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday in Gettysburg.