(Carlisle, Pa.) – The Dickinson softball team kept battling back in both games, but dropped a non-conference double-header to visiting Messiah College on Wednesday night. The Devils suffered an 11-5 setback in the opener and fell, 13-5, in the nightcap.
The Falcons struck early in the opener, scoring three unearned runs in the top of the first inning. Messiah capitalized on a pair of Dickinson errors and a two-run double from Becky Notte. Emily Quatrale led-off the second inning with a double, triggering another three-run inning from Messiah.
Notte drove in two more runs with a double in the fourth as Messiah tallied four runs to extend the lead to 10-0. The Devils countered with a run in the bottom of the fourth. Nicole Piet (Robbinsville, N.J./Robbinsville) led-off the inning with a single and came in to score on an RBI base hit from first-year Jessica Epstein (Madison, N.J./Madison).
Dickinson added some offense in the fifth as well, using a pair of walks and RBI singles from Casey Ditzler (Cleona, Pa./Annville-Cleona) and Becca Garlinger (Enola, Pa./East Pennsboro) to score three runs and cut the deficit to 10-4, and extend the game.
Tina Lehman doubled and scored on to give Messiah an 11-4 advantage in the sixth. Grace Edelson (Basking Ridge, N.J./Ridge) doubled in the seventh and scored on a sacrifice bunt from Piet for the final of 11-5.
Notte led the way for Messiah, going 4-for-4 with five RBIs and two runs scored with three doubles.
Game two proved eerily similar as Messiah struck early, scoring three runs in the first behind a lead-off homerun from Carrie Fix. Edelson cut into the lead with one swing of the bat, sending a two-run homer over the left field wall as well, to make the score 3-2.
Courtney Allen hit a two-run double as the Falcons scored three in the second. Allen reached on an error in the fourth and scored on another double from Notte for a 7-2 advantage. Fix highlighted the fifth with a triple as Messiah tried to end the game, taking an eight run lead into the bottom of the fifth.
The Devils rallied once again to extend game two as Piet launched a three-run bomb to cut the lead to 10-5. Messiah tallied three more insurance runs in the sixth to claim game two, 13-5.
Notte went 2-for-4 with two more doubles to lead Messiah as they improved to 11-6 on the season.
Edelson went 2-for-3 with three RBIs while Edelson finished 2-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored. The Red Devils slip to 11-7 overall. They are home again tomorrow evening, returning to Centennial Conference action with a 5:00 pm double-header with Gettysburg.
