(Carlisle, Pa.) – The Dickinson softball team dropped a pair of games to neighboring Messiah College on Tuesday night. The Falcons claimed the opener, 9-1, and took the nightcap, 5-0.

A misplayed sacrifice bunt led to a Messiah run in the first inning as Nicole Blantz scored after reaching on a single and stealing second. The Falcons capitalized on three walks in the second inning to add a pair of runs, and Sarah Dietrich tripled in a run in the third to stretch the lead to 4-0.

The Falcons tallied three unearned runs in the fourth before the Devils answered in the bottom half of the inning. Melissa Osborn (Stevensville, Md./Kent Island) singled to put Grace Edelson (Basking Ridge, N.J./Villa Walsh) in scoring position to set up and RBI for Denise Haines (Green Lane, Pa./St. Pius X) to put the Devils on the board.

Messiah used a pair of doubles in the top of the seventh to score two more for the final of 9-1.

First-year Casey Ditzler (Cleona, Pa./Annville-Cleona) and Osborn recorded the only two hits for the Devils in the opener. Chelsea Homa (Newton, N.J./Newton) recorded six strikeouts, allowing just two earned runs. Cassie Blyler (Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown East) came on in relief, adding a pair of strikeouts in two innings.

The Falcons scored in the first in game two as well, capitalizing on a pair of Red Devil miscues, taking a 3-0 lead. Strong defensive play by both teams kept both teams off the scoreboard until Messiah pushed across two runs in the seventh.

Mallory Rutledge held the Devils to just a pair of hits in the nightcap, recording three strikeouts. Osborn had one of the hits in game two as well while Edelson singled in the fourth.

Blyler suffered the loss in game two, allowing just one earned run.

The Red Devils are home again on Saturday, hosting Swarthmore College at 1:00 pm. The Garnet and Red Devils will compete in the Strikeout Cancer Challenge to benefit Coaches vs. Cancer and the American Cancer Society.