ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa. – The Messiah University softball team had a dominant doubleheader sweep on the road at Elizabethtown College on Thursday afternoon. The Falcons defeated the Blue Jays in Game One 9-0, and completed the sweep in the second contest with a 14-0 victory. Both contests lasted just five innings. Hannah Dyer performed well at the dish, collecting five hits across the two games, including her first home run of the season in Game One.

The Falcons' offense was stellar, totaling 25 hits across the two games, including a 17-hit Game Two.

The doubleheader sweep improves Messiah's 2023 overall record to 21-8.

Game One – Messiah 9, Elizabethtown 0 (5 inn.)

Collison was in the circle for Game One and recorded a stellar pitching performance. The junior pitcher breezed through the opening four innings of the contest, blanking the Blue Jays' lineup, allowing just four hits while striking out as many batters.

The Falcons' offense got going early, plating a run in the top of the first frame from a solo shot off the bat of Dyer. The long ball put Messiah up 1-0 and was Dyer's first homerun of the 2023 campaign. Messiah extended its advantage to 4-0 after scoring three runs in the top of the fourth inning, separating itself from Elizabethtown with a three-hit frame highlighted by run-scoring knocks from both Dyer and Brielle Rosario. Paige Eakes contributed to the scoring as well, recording a sacrifice fly. At the end of four innings, Messiah led, 4-0.

In the top of the fifth inning, Maddie Williams made her impression on the game, lacing a two-run single up the middle to plate Dyer and Kyley Mellage, extended the Falcons' lead to a commanding 6-0. In the following at-bat, with two runners on base, Eakes provided the big blow of the game, a three-run homerun to center field to break the game open. Eakes' three-run shot was her third long ball of the season, increasing her RBI total to a game-high four. In the inning, Messiah totaled five runs on four hits to jump ahead 9-0.

Maggie Chinnadurai retired the Blue Jays hitters in the bottom half of the inning to seal the dominant 9-0 win. Messiah totaled eight hits in the victory, highlighted by multi-hit performances from Mellage (2) and Dyer (3). Collison earned the win in the circle to improve her conference-leading win total to 12.  

Game Two – Messiah 14, Elizabethtown 0 (5 inn.)

Dyer picked up right where she left off from the first contest, beginning Game Two with a leadoff triple to right center. Two batters later, Elianna Litwin singled her in to give Messiah a prompt 1-0 edge.

Kelli Durbin made the Game Two start, making her third start of the season. The first-year pitcher was comfortable and confident in the bottom half of the opening frame, not allowing a hit or a run to score.

Messiah opened up the game in the third and fourth inning, totaling 10 runs across the two frames to expand its lead to 14-0. The Falcons scored five runs on five hits in the third inning and eight runs on seven hits in the fourth inning. Elizabethtown's poor defense contributed to run-scoring affair as well as the Blue Jays committed three errors in the fourth inning. Messiah had a total of seven run-scoring hits across the two frames.

Olivia Denmark, Litwin, and Eakes all recorded three-hit performances as six different Falcons contributed RBI. Durbin pitched all five innings, blanking the Elizabethtown offense while allowing just two hits to clinch her third win of the season.

What's Next
The Falcons (21-8, 7-1 MAC Commonwealth) return home this Saturday, Apr. 15, to clash with Alvernia University for a conference doubleheader beginning at 1:00 p.m. at Starry Softball Field.