HARRISONBURG, Va. – On Tuesday afternoon, the Messiah softball team took game one from the Royals 12-5. The Falcons were able to use an explosive fourth inning to give themselves a six-run cushion for the remainder of the game. Hannah Dyer, Lucy Murphy, Fallon Feaser, and Allie Book all record three hits, accounting for nine runs batted in for game one. Feaser ended her day in the circle going 5.1IP, striking out three batters in the win. In game two, the Royals were able to jump on the Falcons in the third inning and never looked back to hand Messiah their first loss of the season.

How It Happened
Game One Messiah 13-5
The Falcons were able to strike first, as Hannah Dyer led off with a bunt single. Following her stealing second, Fallon Feaser would set Dyer up with a single to left field moving Dyer to third. Dyer would be opportunistic stealing home to bring in the first run of the game for Messiah. However, the scoring would stop there, with the remaining batters striking out. The Royals would come to the plate looking to get a run back, following three straight hits they would do just that and more. Eastern Mennonite used the hitting spree to bring home two runners to grab a 2-1 lead in an eventful first inning.
 
Following a three up, three down for Messiah, the Royals would tack on another run with a triple to lead off. A tough grounder to second allowed the runner to get home, increasing the Royal lead to 3-1, but the Falcons ended the inning soon after.
 
Trailing 3-1, the Falcons top of the lineup went back to work. Following a quick out, Dyer once again got to the pitcher with a single to left field. Lucy Murphy and Feaser would back her up with back-to-back singles to bring Dyer home with two still on. Despite a ground out, Murphy was able to work her way to third than home, tying the game up at 3-3. Feaser patiently waiting on third base, Allie Book would smash a triple to left center to bring her through giving Messiah the 4-3 lead.
 
After a quick bottom half of the third, Messiah came back to the plate looking to increase their lead. Rebekah Wiley and Haylie Fenstermaker got things going with back-to-back singles to put runners on second and first. Following a fly out, Murphy would come up big once again with a double to left to score Wiley with two outs. The onslaught would stay on, as a Feaser single led to a throwing error that allowed both Murphy and Fenstermaker to score giving Messiah the 7-3 cushion. The Rally continued with Feaser advancing on a wild pitch, setting up a Kandice Schlabach double to right, extending the lead to 8-3. Followed by Book picking up another RBI, scoring Schlabach. Despite being thrown out at second to end the inning, the damage had already been done with the Falcons holding a 9-3 lead heading into the bottom of the fourth.
 
Feaser finished the inning strong only allowing one hit, keeping the six-run lead. After a quiet fifth inning from both squads, the Falcons added to their total in the top of the sixth. Dyer once again found her way on the base path, advancing to second on a stolen base to set up Murphy who drove her home with a single up the middle. Two batters later, Schlabach roped a single to left center putting herself and Murphy on the corners. Book added another stat to the sheet, knocking a single in between third and shortstop to score Murphy. After a book stolen base with runners on second and third, Jaden Keister flew out to center to advance the runners, extending the lead to 12-3.
 
The Royals were able to put runners on in the sixth, bringing one through to add to their total, ending Feasers day. Maggie Chinnadurai would come in to replace Feaser after five strong innings to help close out the sixth. Chinnadurai got caught in a jam early, with the Royals taking advantage of some Falcon Miscues to bring home another with only one out recorded. However, a quick strikeout calmed things down, allowing her to settle in and finish the inning with a fly out still leading 12-5.
 
Entering the final inning, after a quick two outs, Dyer put a stamp on game one with a homer to left extending the Falcons lead to 13-5. Chinnadurai closed out the game striking out one and forcing two pop outs to give Messiah the game on win.
 
Stats Game One
Hannah Dyer finished game one hitting (3-4) from the plate with one home run. Lucy Murphy, Allie Book, and Fallon Feaser each nabbed three hits accounting for eight runs batted in. Fallon Feaser finished 5.1 IP, picking up her second win of the season.
 
Game Two
Eastern Mennonite 7 Messiah 2
How It Happened
The Falcons once again struck early in the top of the first. Hannah Dyer took advantage of getting hit by a pitch, to steal her way around the bases all the way to third. Following two outs, Kandice Schlabach poked a single into left field to grab the early 1-0 lead.
 
After a quick bottom half of the first from Kelli Durbin, the Falcons came back up to bat looking to add to the lead. However, the Royals pitcher found a groove going three up three down to set up Eastern Mennonite to tie the game. Following a couple of hits, the Royals would do just that tying the game up at one a piece heading into the third inning.
 
Messiah did themselves no favors going 1-2-3 once again, setting up another big inning from the Royals. Eastern Mennonite swung early and often reaching base consistently to load the bases with only one out. From there on, the Royals batters were patient, using walks to extend their lead to as big as 4-1. Following a pitching change from the Falcons, another single from the Royals grow the lead to 6-1.
 
Feaser provided a spark with a solo shot to left field, hoping to bring some life into the dugout in the fourth inning. However, that would be the only run for the next two innings from Messiah, leaving runners stranded in both the fourth and the fifth innings. The Royals would take on one more in the bottom of the fifth, extending their lead to 7-2.
 
After a quick three and out for Messiah in the sixth, the Falcons had one last chance in the seventh to pull off the comeback. Following a quick outing from the Royals, the Falcons were hoping to make noise with their six-eight hitters set to come to the plate. Jaden Keister got things started with a double crushed to left center. However, three straight outs from the Falcons ended game two of the double-header.
 
Stats Game Two
Fallon Feaser, Kandice Schlabach, Jaden Keister, and Ali Wagner were the loan Falcons with hits in game two. Feaser and Schlabach brought home to two Messiah runs.
 
What's Up Next
The Falcons will look to bounce back from the loss with their home opener against Penn College Saturday, March. 1 at 1:00 & 3:00p.m.