GRANTHAM, Pa.— Eastern University Softball scored seven runs in the first three innings and held off a late rally from the host Messiah University Falcons to claim a 7-5 win and a spot in tomorrow's MAC Commonwealth Championship game.
Sydney Ostolaza broke a 2-2 tie with a three-run home run in the third.
The second-seeded Eagles (28-7) came into today's semifinal on the heels of a 2-0 win over Hood where they did not score until the bottom of the sixth. Playing as the visitors against top-seeded Messiah, the Eagles struck early.
Ainsley O'Donnell worked a deep count before smashing a double to right-center. Alyssa Binzak fouled off a couple pitches early and drew a walk.
Mackenzie Laub drove in the duo with a double to left-center. Laub's hit forced the Falcons (30-11) into a very early pitching change. The Eagles hit two balls hard off the new pitcher before
Maeve Colligan took a four pitch walk and Ostolaza hit an inning-ending fly ball to the warning track.
After the Falcons took advantage of defensive miscues to tie the game with a pair of unearned runs in the second, the Eagles put together their big inning.
Emily Kurth started the inning with a single to center. With her two hits today, the rookie catcher has 43 hits in 107 at bats. After
Tori Hook reached on a fielder's choice, Colligan came to the plate with a runner on first. The Falcons, who saw the game-changing home run Colligan hit yesterday, had worked around her in the first but had to pitch to her with a runner on. Colligan lined an outside pitch off the top of the fence center to put runners on second and third with one out.
Knowing a fly ball would put the Eagles up. Ostolaza looked for a pitch to elevate. The Messiah center fielder tracked her high drive back until she ran out of room. The home run her second of the season and ninth of her career. Ostolaza also homered in the semifinal against Messiah last year. Her other home run this year was also a three-run shot. That homer ended the game against Alvernia.
When
Sophie Rollins and
Maura Yoos both hit solid singles to center, the Falcons brought their starter back on. O'Donnell worked another long at bat for walk to load the based with one out. Binczak ripped a line drive to short that sent all three base-runners back to their bases. An errant throw escaped the new pitcher and Rollins raced home. When the throw slipped out of play, Yoos also trotted home.
After playing nail-biting innings all day yesterday, the 7-2 lead seemed huge. The Eagles put two on in the fourth but could not stretch the lead.
On their home field, the Falcons did not quit. The first three hitters in the fourth reached on ground ball singles through the middle. One run scored on the third singe and another came home on a sacrifice fly to right. With a runner on third, Binczak made a a nice play on a foul fly behind the first base bag, and the rally ended on a. Ground ball to short.
The Falcons started the sixth with a double to right center. After that player moved to third on a high fly to center field, Rollins made the defensive play of the game on a deep shot to the gap in left-center. The senior left fielder ran down the line drive to limit the damage of the inning.
Barthol (12-3) worked around a lead-off walk in the seventh to earn her 28th career win. Barthol struck out five and allowed five hits. The Eagles finished with nine hits and five walks.
Messiah beat Hood in the second elimination game to advance to tomorrow's Championship game. That game is slated to start at 1:00 pm. The Eagles can claim a second-straight MAC Commonwealth Championship with a win in that game or in an 'if-necessary' game which would follow immediately after it.
Hood advanced to the second elimination game by beating Alvernia 5-4. Messiah beat Hood 8-0 in six innings.
