GRANTHAM, Pa. – The Messiah University softball team's bats exploded for 21 runs in the two wins over Albright College on Friday afternoon. The Falcons in game one scored four runs in the first and second inning to jump to an 8-0 lead. McKenzie Shannon hit a solo home run in the fourth to give the Falcons the 9-0 lead and after a shutdown fifth inning the win. Lydia Collison was dominant in the circle, pitching all five innings, allowing on three hits and a walk with nine strikeouts. McKenzie Shannon and Jaden Keister led the Falcons offense with two hits each.
 
In game two, the Falcons once again got the bats going early. The Falcons scored four runs in the first and three in the second to jump to a 7-0 lead. After Albright scored three in the top of the third, the Falcons answered back with three more in the bottom of the third. The Falcons added two more in the bottom of the fourth and shutdown the Lions in the top of fifth to give the Falcons the sweep and the 12-3 win. Fallon Feaser pitched all five innings for the Falcons, allowing three runs on five hits, a walk, and recorded six strikeouts. Alexa Burger, Kandice Schlabach, Allie Book, and Ali Wagner each tallied two hits to lead the Falcons offense.
 
Up next, the Falcons host the Green Terror of McDaniel College for a doubleheader on Wednesday, March 27 at 3:00 p.m.

Game One – Messiah 9, Albright 0
In the top of the first, the Falcons got out of a jam that started with a runner on first and second with no outs, but Lydia Collison got out of the jam with two pop outs and a strikeout to keep the game scoreless. The Falcons bats went to work in the bottom half on the first. After a groundout, Hannah Dyer reached first on a walk and then McKenzie Shannon singled and with an error by the left fielder on the single, Dyer scored from first and Shannon advanced to second. Then Jaden Keister hit a single and after a throwing error, Shannon scored and Keister moved to second to give the Falcons a 2-0 lead. After an Allie Book walk and a ground out that advanced the runners to second and third, Brielle Rosario singled down the left field line that scored both Keister and Book to push the Falcons lead to 4-0.
 
The Falcons once again worked around a jam this time after a double and a single, the Falcons ended the inning with a strike out and a fly out. The Falcons went back to work on the offensive end. Paige Eakes led the inning off with a double through the right side. Alexa Burger then hit an RBI single to push the Falcons lead to five. Hannah Dyer then reached first on a hit by pitch and after a double steal and a strikeout, Jaden Keister hit a two RBI single to right center to push the Falcons lead to 7-0. After a line out, Kandice Schlabach hit an RBI double to right center to push the Falcons lead to 8-0.
 
Both pitchers settled in and shut down each of the lineups in the third inning. After the Lions went down in order in the top of the fourth, McKenzie Shannon hit a solo moonshot to give the Falcons a 9-0 lead.
 
Lydia Collison closed out the game with three straight strikeouts to finish her dominant start in the circle.
 
Lydia Collison pitched all five innings, allowing on three hits and a walk with nine strikeouts. McKenzie Shannon and Jaden Keister led the Falcons offense with two hits each. Paige Eakes, Alexa Burger, Allie Book, Kandice Schlabach, and Brielle Rosario each recorded a hit.
 
Game Two – Messiah 12, Albright 3
The Falcons started game two with Fallon Feaser shutting down the Lions in order. The Falcons started the bottom of the first with a double down the left field line from Alexa Burger. With the double, Burger recorded her 100th career hit. After the double, Hannah Dyer reached first on a hit by pitch, and after a pop out, Kandice Schlabach hit an RBI single and then advanced to second on a throwing error. With runners on second and third, Allie Book then hit a double over left fielder's head to push the Falcons lead to 3-0. After a flyout, Elianna Litwin hit an RBI single to extend the Falcons lead to 4-0.
 
After the Falcons escaped a two-out rally from the Lions in the top of the second, the Falcons offense went back to work in the bottom of the second. With one out, Alexa Burger singled to left field and then stole second. Hannah Dyer then reached first on a hit by pitch. After a fly out, Kandice Schlabach doubled to left center scoring both Burger and Dyer to push the Falcons lead to 6-0. Allie Book then singled up the middle and the Falcons now were up by seven.
 
In the top of the third, the Lions scored three runs on three hits and a passed ball to reduce the Falcons lead to 7-3. The Falcons started the bottom of third with a walk from Elianna Litwin. Ali Wagner then singled, and the runners advanced to second and third on a passed ball. Paige Eakes then sent a fly ball to left field, but the left fielder dropped the ball and the Falcons scored two runs to extend their lead to 9-3. After a ground out, Hannah Dyer reached on another hit by pitch and then stole second. McKenzie Shannon then hit a sacrifice fly to push the Falcons lead to 10-3.
 
Fallon Feaser regrouped in the top of the fourth and worked around a two-out single to have another scoreless frame. In the bottom of the fourth, the Falcons got two outs quickly, but Maddie Williams reached on a walk. Ali Wagner then hit a double to deep center field that scored Williams from first to push the Falcons lead to eight. Paige Eakes then doubled to left field that gave the Falcons a 12-3.
 
In the top of the fifth, Fallon Feaser finished off the complete game, setting the Lions down in order.

Fallon Feaser pitched all five innings for the Falcons, allowing three runs on five hits, a walk, and recorded six strikeouts. Alexa Burger, Kandice Schlabach, Allie Book, and Ali Wagner each tallied two hits to lead the Falcons offense.
 
Next
The Falcons host the Green Terror of McDaniel College for a doubleheader on Wednesday, March 27 at 3:00 p.m.