FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – The Messiah Softball team opened the 2026 season on the road with a doubleheader against the Monarchs of Methodist University. The Falcons dropped both games on the day, falling in game one 6-4, and game two 1-0.
In game one, the Monarchs took a 3-0 lead in the early innings, before the Falcons tied the game up in the sixth. A three-run homer in the bottom of the sixth for the Monarchs would be the difference, as they took game one, 6-4.
Brielle Rosario had three hits, one walk, and one run scored.
Allie Book and
Rebekah Wiley both had two hits, and
Fallon Feaser had a solo home run for Messiah.
In game two, it was a pitcher dual early, with both teams struggling to find base runners. The good pitching continued throughout, but Methodist found the breakthrough run in the sixth inning to win 1-0.
Kelli Durbin had a strong showing in the circle in the loss, with nine strikeouts and only three hits allowed.
Ava Fair had three hits, and
Rebekah Wiley added two hits.
Up next, the Falcons are back in action at Meredith College on Saturday, Feb. 21, at 1:00 p.m. for game one of a double header.
Game One: Messiah – 4, Methodist – 6
After two quick outs to start the first inning,
Brielle Rosario and
Allie Book ripped back-to-back singles to try and start a Falcon rally, with both finding themselves in scoring position after advancing on a Monarch throw. However, Methodist got out of the inning unscathed and then scored two runs on two hits and two errors to take a 2-0 lead.
Rebekah Wiley lined a lead-off single up the middle in the second, but the Falcons failed to get a run on the board.
Fallon Feaser then used a quick inning to keep the game at 2-0.
Brielle Rosario and
Allie Book both picked up their second hit of the game in the top of the third, but the Falcons still couldn't get a run on the board. The Monarchs tacked on a third run in the bottom half of the inning on one hit.
After a lineout to start the fourth inning,
McKenna Bunting got on base to give Messiah a one-out base runner.
Asia Harding then stepped up to the dish, hitting an RBI double to left field to get the Falcons on the board, making it 3-1.
Fallon Feaser followed up with a 1-2-3 inning with two strikeouts for the Falcons in the bottom half.
Lucy Murphy and
Brielle Rosario both singled to start the fifth, quickly followed by a Monarch error that loaded the bases with no outs.
Josi Tolentino that hit a pitch into left field for a sacrifice fly, bringing in Murphy for Messiah's second run. The Monarchs got out of the inning without allowing anymore damage, and
Fallon Feaser had another quick inning in the circle for Messiah.
Two quick outs in the top of the sixth brought
Fallon Feaser up with no runners on base. Feaser got a hold of a pitch and powered it over the fence down the left field line for a solo home run to tie the game 3-3. The score remained tied going into the bottom of the sixth, where the Monarchs would take a 6-3 lead after a three-run homer with two outs.
Brielle Rosario walked to start the seventh inning, and advanced into scoring position with two outs.
Rebekah Wiley grabbed an RBI single to try and spark a Falcons comeback, but the Monarchs held on to win 6-4.
Stats
Brielle Rosario had three hits, one walk, and one run scored.
Allie Book and
Rebekah Wiley both had two hits, and
Fallon Feaser had a solo home run for Messiah.
Game Two: Messiah – 0, Methodist – 1
After a scoreless top of the first,
Kelli Durbin had two strikeouts in a clean bottom half of the inning. The game remained scoreless after three innings, with Durbin picking up two more strikeouts in each inning.
Allie Book and
Rebekah Wiley both singled in the top of the fourth, but the Falcons left the runners stranded on the bases to keep the score tied 0-0.
Kelli Durbin allowed two base runners in the bottom half of the inning but pitched out of trouble to keep the game scoreless.
Ava Fair reached base on a one-out infield single, before stealing second base to get into scoring position.
Lucy Murphy then singled up the middle with two outs, and advanced on a throw to third base, giving the Falcons two runners in scoring position. However, the Monarch pitcher forced a grounder back to the circle to record the final out, keeping Messiah off the board.
Kelli Durbin pitched another scoreless inning to keep the game tied, 0-0.
In the sixth,
Rebekah Wiley got a hit, but the Falcons couldn't string anything together to get a run on the board. Methodist broke the deadlock in the bottom half, scoring one run on two hits, while leaving two more runners on base.
Ava Fair got her third hit of the game on a one-out single, but two fielders choices ended the game, giving Methodist a 1-0 win as they swept the double header.
Stats
Kelli Durbin had a strong showing in the circle in the loss, with nine strikeouts and only three hits allowed.
Ava Fair had three hits, and
Rebekah Wiley added two hits.
Allie Book and
Lucy Murphy added one hit each.
Up Next
The Falcons are back in action at Meredith College on Saturday, Feb. 21, at 1:00 p.m. for game one of a double header.
