No. 18 Messiah 3, Lebanon Valley 2

LVC Lineup
1. Bost cf, 2. Brown lf, 3. Johnson c, 4. Miller ss, 5. Valle 2b, 6. Gross rf, 7. Christensen 1b, 8. Robinson 3b, 9. Ortiz-Marrero dp, Neff p

Messiah Lineup
1. Fix lf, 2. Pompeo 3b, 3. Allen p, 4. Notte c, 5. Jones ss, 6. Cressman p, 7. Bingaman cf, 8. Boreman 1b, 9. Denny rf, Quatrale 2b

How It Happened
Messiah's fifth-inning run proved the difference in Lebanon Valley's 3-2 loss to the No. 18 Falcons in game one of a MAC Commonwealth doubleheader on Sunday afternoon.

An error aided Messiah (22-2, 7-0 MAC Commonwealth) in breaking a 2-2 tie as Courtney Allen singled and advanced to second on the LVC mistake before scoring on Amanda Jones' RBI bunt two at-bats later to put the home team back out in front.

Jordyn Miller moved into scoring position for the Flying Dutchmen (11-9, 5-4 MAC Commonwealth) when Kelli Valle singled to center field in the top of the sixth but Lebanon Valley failed to plate the tying run.

After pitcher Haley Neff sat down the Falcons in order in the bottom of the frame, LVC again put a runner in scoring position when Alexa Windsor reached second base on a Sammy Bost single but couldn't push the equalizer across.

Elaine Gross hit her first home run of the season, a two-run shot in the top of the fourth, scoring Emily Johnson in the process to erase an early 2-0 deficit.

Inside the Circle
- Haley Neff was strong for the Dutchmen against one of the nation's top teams. She allowed 10 hits but just three runs and one walk to go along with a pair of strikeouts.
- Courtney Allen improved to 12-0 on the year for Messiah. She allowed two runs on seven hits and two walks in addition to racking up an impressive 11 strikeouts.

At the Plate
- Sammy Bost went 2-for-3 with a triple and a walk from the leadoff spot for the Dutchmen.
- LVC recorded three extra-base hits compared to just one by the Falcons. Bost tripled, Elaine Gross homered, and Kim Ortiz-Marrero added a double. C. Fix led off the game with a home run for Messiah.
- Courtney Allen, Becky Notte, Amanda Jones, and Shannon Denny had two hits apiece for the Falcons.

Around the Diamond
- With her extra-base hit, Sammy Bost increased her program record for career triples to 13.
- The Dutchmen committed a pair of errors, while Messiah was clean defensively.
- Amanda Jones stole two bases for the Falcons.
- Third base Alissa Robinson and second base Kelli Valle each assisted on three putouts, while Cheyanne Brown made three grabs in left field.

No. 18 Messiah 4, Lebanon Valley 1

LVC Lineup
1. Bost cf, 2. Brown lf, 3. Johnson c, 4. Miller dp, 5. Gross rf, 6. Robinson 3b, 7. Christensen 1b, 8. Stratton ss, 9. Windsor p, Bauer 2b

Messiah Lineup
1. Fix P, 2. Pompeo 3b, 3. Allen cf, 4. Notte c, 5. Jones ss, 6. Cressman 1b, 7. Bingaman lf, 8. Boreman dp, 9. Anders rf, Quatrale 2b

How It Happened
Lebanon Valley couldn't erase an early deficit in a 4-1 loss to No. 18 Messiah in game two of a MAC Commonwealth doubleheader on Sunday afternoon.

The Falcons (23-2, 8-0 MAC Commonwealth) used two hits and a walk to plate the game's first run in the bottom of the first inning before a double sandwiched between two singles allowed the Falcons to tack on two more in the bottom of the next frame.

The Dutchmen (11-9, 5-5 MAC Commonwealth) offense struggled to get rolling in the opening stanzas and Messiah took advantage by adding an insurance run in the bottom of the fourth when Erin Cressman homered over the left center field fence.

Haley Christensen made a relief appearance for LVC and worked out of a fifth-inning jam before sitting down the Falcons in order to end the sixth.

Emily Johnson hit her team-leading sixth home run of the season to lead off the top of the seventh but it proved to be the team's lone tally of the contest.

Inside the Circle
- Alexa Windsor got the start and went four innings for LVC. She allowed four runs on seven hits and a walk to go along with her three strikeouts.
- Haley Christensen was solid in her relief appearance, allowing three hits in two innings of work.
- Carrie Fix got the victory for Messiah, allowing one run on five hits and a walk in 6.2 innings inside the circle.

At the Plate
- Alissa Robinson had a multi-hit outing for LVC, going 2-for-3 from the dish.
- Emily Johnson's home run was the team's lone extra-base hit of the game.
- Amanda Jones and Amber Bingaman hat two hits each for Messiah.

Around the Diamond
- Sammy Bost extended her NCAA Division III consecutive stolen bases record to 71 in a row with LVC's lone swipe of the game.
- The Falcons' Amber Bingaman was thrown out on the team's only steal attempt.
- Messiah committed the game's only error.
- Shortstop Emily Stratton assisted on a team-high five putouts, while Alissa Robinson made three putouts at third base.

Who's Next?
The Dutchmen return home to host Gettysburg for a non-conference doubleheader on Tuesday afternoon.