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Messiah Breezes Past Lycoming By 10-0, 4-1 Scores
Freshman Abi Buchler was impressive both in the field and at the plate Saturday, finishing 4-7 with three runs scored.

Grantham, PA — An absurdly windy afternoon played little part in Messiah’s first home double-header sweep of the season Saturday, as the Falcons remained unbeaten in MAC Commonwealth play behind 10-0 and 4-1 wins over visiting Lycoming College.

With sustained winds of nearly 30 miles per hour howling toward right field, Messiah (22-4, 6-0) and Lycoming (8-6, 2-6) combined for no home runs on the day, and just five extra-base hits in the double-dip.

That didn’t mean that Messiah wasn’t hitting the ball hard, however, as the club ripped a total 23 blasts on the day — most of which too hard and too low to be affected by the wind.

“We really came out strong today,” said Amy Weaver, Messiah head coach. “Even when they got us out, we were hitting hard line drives. The wind could have been a factor, but our team was hitting the ball so hard it didn’t even play a role.”

Weaver’s club pounced on the Warriors at the start of the afternoon’s first contest, splitting up all 10 of its runs over the first three innings of play and never looking back. Singles from senior Amy Bowie, junior Nicole Adams and junior Abby Bergakker paced a three-run first inning, while doubles from both Adams and freshman Jaclyn Merkel helped Messiah to a three-run second.

Five more Falcons’ singles keyed a four-run third inning, and the team was on its way to its fifth five-inning win of the year.

Freshman pitching ace Jessica Rhoads (13-1) made certain that would be the case, as the hard-throwing right hander struck out 10 in four innings of work, allowing just a single hit for her 10th shutout win of the year. Sophomore Roo Eby came on to finish things off in the fifth, striking out two of the three batters she faced.

Bowie paced a quintuplet of Messiah batters to record a multiple-hit Game One, finishing 3-3 with three RBI and two runs scored. Adams (2-3, two RBI), Merkel (2-3, two runs scored), Rhoads (2-3) and sophomore Rebekkah Funk (2-2, two runs scored) rounded off the list.

“We hit the ball as well as we have all year in the first game,” Weaver said. “Jess pretty much shut them down for four innings and Roo Eby came in to finish them off in the fifth. It was a very good performance on all fronts.”

And while the bats weren’t quite as hot in the second contest — the Falcons finished with nine hits, seven of which were singles — it was still more than enough to cruise to the comfortable 4-1 win. Junior Megan Rice (8-1) went five and one third innings in the pitching circle, allowing just four hits and two walks while striking out three. Rhoads then came on in the sixth inning to relieve Rice, striking out all five of the batters she faced to end the game with zero drama.

A two-run first inning from the Falcons helped Rice get comfortable pitching, as a leadoff single from freshman Abi Buchler was eventually batted in off another double from Merkel. Rice then allowed Lycoming’s only run of the afternoon in the fifth inning, but Messiah would tack on scores in the bottom half of that stanza and the sixth to widen the gap for Rhoads in relief. Merkel’s third double of the day plated Buchler again in the sixth.

“Megan pitched well holding them to just one run,” Weaver said. “We hit well again and had some nice shots, again hitting some hard line drives right at them. We left nine runners on base but our outs were tough outs and solid hits. You can't get upset with your team when they are hitting the ball solid and hard line drive shots.

“Overall it was a great Saturday at home for us and we played some of our best ball today,” she continued. “I am proud of them for coming out strong and playing well all day.”

Messiah will continue its home stand Tuesday, when the team hosts league rival Widener University in a double-header. Game time for the first of two is set for 3 p.m.