ST. DAVIDS, Pa.– Eastern University Softball rallied from an early five-run deficit to force extra innings, but the visiting Messiah University Falcons scored a pair of unearned runs in the top of the ninth to to claim the doubleheader and season-series sweep in the MAC Commonwealth. With the light fading, Eagles scored four times in the bottom of the sixth to tie the game at seven.

The Falcons scored five times on six hits in the first inning of the nightcap, and they added two more in the top of the second after Eastern scored twice on a Veronica Perez single in the bottom of the first.

After the second, Lexi Evelyn settled into a rhythm in the circle, but the Eastern offense only managed a single run in the bottom of the third to close to within 7-3.

Eastern's big inning started on a solid single to left by Veronica Perez. Evelyn went the other way with an outside pitch to reach with a single to left and force a pitching change. Kelci Cost greeted the new pitcher with a perfect bunt single to load the bases. Megan Kolakowski came on to pinch-hit and flipped a fly ball into short center field to score one. After RBI ground outs from Sami Britton and Emily Loomis, Susana Perez singled down the left field line to drive in Elena Iannuzzelli who had come on as a pinch runner. Grace Gonzalez hit a pitch hard, but right to a defender.

As light was disappearing on the overcast day, it looked as though the seventh might be the last inning, and Evelyn worked quickly through the top half. Kailah Altemose ripped a single to right -center to lead off the bottom of the seventh, but a perfect through from the right fielder got her trying to reach second on the ball. When the next two Eastern batters made quick outs, the umpires made the decision to play the eighth inning as the last inning of the day.

When both teams went out in order in the eighth, the umpires agreed to try for one more inning.

The first Messiah batter in the ninth reached on an error. Evelyn struck out the next hitter before allowing a single down the left field line to put runners on first and second. On a hard-hit single to center, Cost came up throwing and fired a one-hopper that passed through the strike zone. Susana Perez had to come up ever so slightly to cath the ball, and by the time she dropped the tag, the Messiah runner had slid into home plate. Evelyn got the next batter to ground out back to the circle, but the Falcons added a second run on a single to left-center before Evelyn escaped further damage with a good reaction on a line-drive at her.

Though Susana Perez drew a one-out walk, the Eastern ninth ended with a pair of ground-ball outs. The Eagles did not have an extra-base hit in the game. The Falcons had four doubles and two home runs.

The Eagles managed just three hits off Messiah starter Madison Walter in a 7-0 loss in the opener. Veronica Perez came on in relief for Evelyn and threw five innings to give the Eagles all seven at bats in the game.

Eastern's series against Hood is postponed, but the twin bill against Alvernia will be this Sunday. Game times are still too be determined.