RALEIGH, N.C. – The Messiah Softball team split a double header on Saturday afternoon against the Avenging Angels of Meredith College, falling in game one, 5-0, before taking an offensive battle in game two, 9-8.
In game one, the Falcons bats couldn't string anything together, with Meredith using a big second inning to get the victory.
Brielle Rosario had two hits, including a double.
McKenna Bunting added two hits, while
Lucy Murphy had one hit and a stolen base.
In game two, the Falcons used big offensive innings in the third and fourth to take a 9-8 win, getting out of a bases loaded jam in the bottom of seventh to win. Four Falcons tallied two hits in the win.
Allie Book had two hits, with a double and an RBI.
Rebekah Wiley had two hits and two RBIs.
Lucy Murphy had two hits with one RBI.
Up next, the Falcons are at home for the first time this season for a double header against McDaniel College on Saturday, Feb. 28 beginning at 12:00 p.m.
Game One: Messiah – 0, Meredith – 5
Brielle Rosario started the day with a leadoff double, but the Falcons couldn't get her home. The Avenging Angels took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom half the first.
In the second inning,
McKenna Bunting got on base with a single, but the Falcons also couldn't hit her home, and Meredith used a four-run bottom half to take 5-0 lead.
Brielle Rosario got the only Falcon hit over the next four innings, with the pitchers keeping the game at 5-0 heading to the seventh inning.
Rebekah Wiley got on a base after a leadoff walk, and
McKenna Bunting singled to give the Falcons two runners on base as they looked to rally late. However, Meredith pitching was able to stop the rally, getting the final outs for a 5-0 win.
Stats
Brielle Rosario had two hits, including a double.
McKenna Bunting added two hits, while
Lucy Murphy had one hit and a stolen base.
Game 2: Messiah – 9, Meredith – 8
Lucy Murphy got a one-out knock in the first, but the Falcons couldn't capitalize on it. The Avenging Angels then put two runs on the board on two hits in the bottom half of the inning.
After a scoreless second for both teams, where
Kelli Durbin picked up a second strikeout of the day, the Falcons finally got the bats going in the top of the third. After a one-out walk from
Lucy Murphy,
Fallon Feaser singled to move Murphy into scoring position.
Allie Book then delivered the breakthrough for Messiah with an RBI single, with Feaser advancing to third. Book advanced to second, but the Falcons found themselves with two outs and still trailing 2-1.
Rebekah Wiley came up clutch, ripping a two-RBI single to give Messiah a 3-2 lead.
Josi Tolentino also singled to get Wiley home, giving the Falcons four runs on four hits in the inning.
Kelli Durbin pitched a scoreless third to keep the Falcons in front.
The Messiah offense stayed alive in the fourth, with
Ava Fair getting a lead-ff single before stealing second to get into scoring position.
Brielle Rosario then reached on an error that scored Fair, with Rosario advancing to third on the play. Next,
Lucy Murphy slapped an RBI-single to extend the Falcons lead, before a fielder's choice and an error from Meredith gave Messiah runners on first and second. Another error scored both runs for Messiah to make it 8-2. Meredith got a run back in the bottom half of the inning, but the Falcons still led 8-3.
The Falcons looked to stay hot at the plate in the fifth, with
Ava Fair reaching on a two-out single. The line-up then flipped, and
Brielle Rosario shot an RBI double into the outfield to get the Falcons run right back, making it 9-3. That run would prove crucial, as the Avenging Angels scored five runs on three hits to make it 9-8 after five.
Allie Book doubled in the sixth, but the Falcons couldn't score, and after a few baserunners reached for Meredith in the bottom half, Messiah pitched out of trouble to take their lead into the final inning.
Alexis Barker singled in the seventh, but once again the Falcons failed to score, taking their one run lead into the bottom of the seventh. In the bottom half, the Avenging Angels had bases loaded with one out, looking for a walk-off. Meredith then produced a hard-hit ball in play went to second base, but
Ava Fair gathered it and fired a strike to home for the force out at the plate. The Falcons then used a flyout to center to hold on for the 9-8 win.
Stats
Allie Book had two hits, with a double and an RBI.
Rebekah Wiley had two hits and two RBIs.
Lucy Murphy had two hits with one RBI.
Ava Fair added two hits.
Kelli Durbin picked up her first win of the season in the circle.
Up Next
The Falcons are at home for the first time this season for a double header against McDaniel College on Saturday, Feb. 28 beginning at 12:00 p.m.
