Messiah University

SWARTHMORE, Pa. – On Friday afternoon, the Messiah University softball team fell to the Muskies of Muskingum University, 11-3, in the NCAA Regionals to end the 2026 season. After a scoreless first, the Falcons got on the board first with two runs in the bottom of the second to take an early lead. The Muskies answered back with two runs in the top of the third, but the Falcons retook the lead with a run in the bottom half to put the score at 3-2. The Muskies then scored two runs in the fourth and the fifth to take a 6-2 lead. The Muskies scored five in the sixth to take an 11-3 lead and held the Falcons off the board to earn the run-rule, 11-3 win. Allie Book led the Falcons with two hits and an RBI. Fallon Feaser and Lucy Murphy each tallied two hits and a run scored. Ashley Bryant and Josi Tolentino each added a hit and an RBI.
 
Muskingum 11, Messiah 3: Final Six Innings
After two scoreless innings from Kelli Durbin in the circle, the Falcons looked to take an early lead in the bottom of the second. Fallon Feaser led off the inning with a single through the right side. After Rebekah Wiley advanced Feaser to second on a sacrifice bunt, Josi Tolentino hit an RBI single and advanced to second on the throw to give the Falcons a 1-0 lead. Ashley Bryant then hit an RBI single to right to push the Falcons lead to two. Ava Fair added a hit in the inning, but the Falcons could not add to their lead and headed to the third with a 2-0 lead.
 
The Muskies scored two runs in the top of the third to tie the game at two headed to the bottom of the third.
 
The Falcons looked to retake the lead in the bottom of the third. Lucy Murphy led off the inning with a single through the right side. After Murphy advanced to second on a wild pitch, Allie Book hit an RBI single up the middle to give the Falcons the 3-2 lead. Fallon Feaser added a single, but the Muskies limited the damage to one and the Falcons took the 3-2 lead into the top of the fourth.
 
The Muskies scored two runs in the top of the fourth to take a 4-3 lead headed into the bottom of the fourth.
 
After a scoreless bottom of the fourth, the Muskies scored two more runs in the top of the fifth to extend their lead to 6-3 headed to the bottom of the fifth.
 
The Falcons looked to battle back into the game in the bottom of the fifth. Lucy Murphy led off the inning with a single and then Allie Book singled to put runners on first and second with no outs. After a foul out, Rebekah Wiley walked to load the bases with one out. After a fielder's choice cut down the runner at home, Ashley Bryant laced a line drive into center field, but the Muskies' center fielder made a diving catch to keep the Muskingum lead at 6-3 headed to the top of the sixth.
 
The Muskies scored five runs in the top of the sixth to take an 11-3 lead headed into the bottom of the sixth.
 
The Muskies threw a scoreless bottom of the sixth to earn the run-rule, 11-3 win.
 
Stats
Allie Book led the Falcons with two hits and an RBI. Fallon Feaser and Lucy Murphy each tallied two hits and a run scored. Ashley Bryant and Josi Tolentino each added a hit and an RBI. Kelli Durbin and Ava Fair each totaled a hit.
 
2026 Season Recap
The Falcons finished the 2026 season with a 29-17 overall record with a 13-1 record in conference play. After a 1-6 record to start the season, the Falcons went 24-8 throughout the rest of the regular season to earn the top seed in the MAC Commonwealth tournament. After falling in game two of the MAC Commonwealth Tournament, the Falcons battled to win three-straight games to win their second-straight MAC Commonwealth Championship to earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.