Softball Falls To Messiah, Looks Forward to CC Tournament

(Game 1) / (Game 2)

Widener fell to Messiah in both games of the conference doubleheader, 8-1 and 4-2, on Sunday afternoon in Chester, PA.

Widener (21-9, 9-7 CC) still advances the Commonwealth Conference tournament as the third seed and will face Lebanon Valley in its first game Friday at noon in Reading, PA.

After a scoreless first inning, Messiah (27-7, 14-2) scored one run in the top of the second when Brooke Pompeo singled to left fielf to drive home teammate Nicole Blantz.

Widener tied the score in the next half inning when Senior-Day honoree Jackie Korang (Delran, NJ) homered to left field for her second home run of the season.

Messiah took control of the game in the sixth inning by scoring five runs on three hits highlighted by a two-run long ball from Krista Ammon. The Falcons then held off the Pride in the last two innings.

Pride freshman Angela Hood (Mullica Twp., NJ) and junior Carissa Harris (Douglasville, PA) each had two hits in the first game, but the pitching of Messiah's Mallory Rutledge kept the Pride out of scoring position for the majority of the action.

Freshman ace Alexis Schengrund (Hillsborough, NJ) pitched six innings, striking out seven and allowing six earned runs. Schengrund finished the regular season with a 10-5 record, a 1.56 ERA and a conference-best 92 strikeouts.

The second game of the doubleheader began in a very similar way. Messiah scored first, but Korang returned the favor by smashing a single right up the middle to bring home sophomore Alie Alkins (Aston, PA). Alkins finishes the regular season with a team-best 25 runs and 12 extra-base hits, including four home runs.

The Falcons score three runs in the sixth inning highlighted by a two-run single from Emily Quatrale to take the 4-1 lead.

Freshman pitcher/outfielder Ally Horvath (Chalfont, PA) led off the seventh inning with a home run that soared two feet to the right of the left foul pole. The home run is the first of Horvath's collegiate career, and brought the Pride within 4-2. Horvath, on the mound, pitched seven innings with two earned runs and three strikeouts to finish the year 6-1 with a 2.91 ERA.

Later in the inning, sophomore Heather Forward (Philadelphia, PA) advanced to second on a passed ball, but Messiah's Claressa Mees closed the door by forcing a groundout to end the game.

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