PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - On another beautiful day for softball at Penn Park, early offense and another gem in the circle from Danika Barthol proved to be all that was needed as Eastern Softball advanced to the 2024 MAC Commonwealth Tournament Championship with a 4-0 win over the Messiah Falcons on Friday afternoon. Barthol struck out 12 batters in her 15th win of the season, and a three-run first inning gave the Eagles the cushion they needed.

After striking out 10 batters yesterday in her postseason debut, Barthol (15-2) was even better against Messiah. In another complete-game shutout, the Emmaus native gave up just four hits while striking out double-digit batters for the second consecutive day. With 130 strikeouts on the season, Barthol needs just five more to surpass Janelle Fair for the second most strikeouts in a single season in program history.

Ainsley O'Donnell had a great day both at the plate and in the field. At the dish, she finished 2-for-3 two runs scored, and made the catch of the year on a diving effort in the top of the fourth inning to keep the Falcons off the scoreboard. Alyssa Binczak also finished with two hits with a run scored an an RBI, while Ostolaza drove in a pair of runs on her sixth home run of the season in the first frame. Mackenzie Laub also finished with an RBI in the Eagles' victory.

Barthol began the game with a scoreless first frame, and the Eagles' offense quickly provided her with support. O'Donnell and Binczak each hit singles to lead off the contest, and a Messiah fielding error put them on second and third with nobody out. Laub went on to score O'Donnell on a sacrifice fly to left field, and Ostolaza crushed her sixth long ball of the year over the left field wall to put the Eagles ahead 3-0.

Eastern scored their final run of the day in the third. O'Donnell led off the frame with a double to right center, and Binczak drove her home on a single up the middle to push Eastern's advantage to 4-0.

Messiah made their biggest push in the fourth, putting two runners on a pair of bloop singles with two outs. Brielle Rosario crushed a ball to deep left center field, but O'Donnell laid out in the warning track and to make the catch, end the inning, and keep the shutout intact.

Barthol shut the door the rest of the way, striking out the side in the fifth, pitching a scoreless sixth, and working around a leadoff single in the seventh to help punch Eastern's ticket to their first ever MAC Commonwealth Tournament Championship.

Eastern will know their opponent at the conclusion of the other two contests today. The MAC Commonwealth Tournament will take place at 2:00 pm tomorrow at Penn Park.