FREDERICK, Md. – The Messiah women's softball split a road conference doubleheader at Hood College on Wednesday afternoon. The Falcons dropped Game One, 9-1, before their bats awoke in Game Two, crushing the Blazers 12-2 to earn the doubleheader split. Both games lasted five innings as Maggie Chinnadurai claimed the Game Two victory in the circle while collecting two hits and an RBI at the dish.

Seven different Falcons recorded an RBI in the Game Two victory, led by Paige Eakes' three RBI, highlighted by a fifth-inning two-run homer.

After the doubleheader split, Messiah's 2023 overall record stands at 23-10 (9-3 MAC Commonwealth) ahead of a non-conference matchup at McDaniel College tomorrow at 4:30 p.m.

Game One – Hood 9, Messiah 1 (5 inn.)
The Blazers' offense was on full display in Game One, jumping on Messiah starting pitcher Lydia Collison in the opening three frames of the contest. Hood for nine runs on eight hits across the second and third innings, highlighted by an eight-run third frame to separate itself from the Falcons. The big hit came off the bat of Walters, a three-run homerun that sailed over the left-center field fence. Messiah plated a run in the top half of the inning on a Hannah Dyer single, but after three frames, the Falcons trailed the Blazers, 9-1.

Messiah's offense was silenced the rest of the way as the Falcons dropped the opening contest of the doubleheader, 9-1, in five innings. Dyer's RBI-single in the third proved to be the only hit of the game for Messiah.

Game Two – Messiah 12, Hood 2 (5 inn.)
The Falcons turned it around in Game Two and returned the favor to the hosts, erupting for a 12-hit, 12-2 victory to force the doubleheader split. Chinnadurai was the star of the game for Messiah, tossing five impressive innings in the circle to earn her seventh victory of the season while collecting two hits and an RBI at the dish.

Kyley Mellage supplied momentum in the top of the second inning, breaking a 1-1 tie with a two-out, two-run triple to left center to give the Falcons their first lead of the doubleheader (3-1). Messiah did not look back, tacking on three more hits in the following frame on a five-hit outburst. Brielle Rosario, Elianna Litwin, and Chinnadurai all supplied run-scoring knocks in the inning to give Messiah a commanding 6-1 lead.

Messiah scored three runs in each of the fourth and fifth innings to earn the five-inning victory, 12-2. Chinnadurai struck out five batters in addition to her multi-hit performance as Paige Eakes, Litwin, Dyer, and all contributed multi-hit performances as well. Eakes recorded her third homerun of the season in the top of the fifth inning, a two-run shot to left field to solidify the lopsided Falcons victory.

What's Next
The Falcons travel to McDaniel College tomorrow afternoon for a makeup contest (originally scheduled for 3/28) beginning at 4:30 p.m.