Eastern University Softball entered Thursday's non-conference double header on a three-game winning streak. The Eagles continued their strong play, but they ran into a roadblock in seventh-ranked Messiah College. The Eagles surrendered five first inning runs in a 5-0 loss in the opener. Coach Stroop's side then rode a stellar performance from first year pitcher Janelle Fair to take the defending national champs to eight innings before falling 4-3.
Messiah jumped to a quick lead in the opener with a five run rally. After Messiah scratched a single run on a wild pitch, Nicole Adams picked up all the RBIs for the visitors with a two-out grand slam. The Falcon first baseman drilled a two strike pitch over the left-center field fence.
Eastern starter Kristine Rosko settled in on the mound. She limited Messiah to only four hits after the opening frame. The Eagles played solid defense behind the junior right hander as Fair made a pair of sparkling plays in the late innings to keep the score at 5-0. After Messiah led off the sixth with a single, a pinch runner tried to take advantage of uncovered base on a bunt single to third. The freshman left-fielder beat the runner to third and applied a tag to kill the scoring chance. To end the seventh, Fair threw a bullet from deep left field to cut down a runner trying to score on a solid single.
Eastern put runners on base in the bottom half of the first, third and fourth innings, but they were unable to push any runners across the plate against sophomore standout Jessica Rhoads. Rhoads, who threw a no-hitter in last year's championship game, allowed just a pair of hits and struck out 13.
Neither team was able to get anything going offensively through the first three innings of game two. Fair and Messiah starter Tori Hatt each made quick work of the opposing line-ups the first time through.
The Falcons got an opportunity on a dropped third strike to start the fourth. After a sacrifice and a single, Stephanie Schell drove in a pair to put the Falcons up 2-0.
Eastern responded immediately. Stephanie Weaver reached base on an single up the middle. Two batters later, Fair helped her cause as she roped a line-drive just over the left field fence.
Fair set the Falcons down in order in the fifth and got the first two batters in the sixth in fairly routine fashion. There was nothing routine about the end of the sixth as Theresa Esposito made a tremendous play to rob Lauren Seneca of a home run. Esposito sprinted straight back on the deep drive and hit the fence at full speed. She was able to hold the catch while nearly tumbling over the fence. She brought the ball back into the field of play to end the inning.
The Messiah coaches made the decision to bring Rhoads back for the final innings. Th inspired Eastern squad threatened in the seventh. Maggie McGowan rapped a single with a sharp ground ball right over second base to collect her second hit of the day off the Messiah ace. Fair worked a walk and Jaclyn Gangemi executed a flawless sacrifice bunt to push the winning run to third with one out. McGowan did not score on a ground ball to second and Rhoads escaped without a run scoring.
The international tie-breaker rule put a runner on second base to start the top of the eighth for Messiah. The Falcons took advantage of an error on the sacrifice bunt to plate two runs in the top of the frame.
Samantha Terenzoni, who started the inning on second, moved to third on an infield single by Valerie Heffline. Esposito then found a hole for an RBI single. Rhoads, who entered play today with 220 strikeouts in 110 innings of work, threw things to another level to strike out the side.
Fair allowed just three hits in eight innings of work. The Eagles hope to use the experience of playing against the Falcons as they make a push in the closing stretch of Freedom Conference games.
The Eagles host FDU-Florham in a critical League doubleheader on Saturday.
Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
