YORK, PA – The York College softball squad split a MAC Commonwealth doubleheader against first place Messiah University on Saturday afternoon in York.
The Falcons won game one 3-0 while the Spartans earned a 5-4 walk-off win in the nightcap.
 
Records: York 16-11 (8-4 MACC); Messiah 21-11 (9-3 MACC)
Game One
Runs: York 0, Messiah 3
Hits: York 1, Messiah 6
Errors: York 0, Messiah 0
WP: Madison Walter (9-6), LP: Taylor Lindsay 11-5
 
How It Happened
• The Falcons struck for a run in the top of the first. Alexa Burger led off with an infield single. She moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and to third on a wild pitch. McKenzie Shannon then put a bunt single down the first base line to score Burger for the 1-0 lead.
• That would be all that Falcon starter Madison Walter would need. The Spartans would not get a base runner until the fourth when Alyssa Harhigh hit a sharp single off Walter's leg. Harhigh stole second but was left stranded when Walter got a strikeout to end the inning.
• The Falcons got two big insurance runs in the fifth as Burger had a two-run triple to make it 3-0.
• Walter would retire the next nine in a row before Daphney Adams drew a two-out walk in the seventh. Walter got a ground out to end the game as she finished with a one hit shutout.
 
Spartan Offensive Leaders
Alyssa Harhigh: 1-for-3, SB
Daphney Adams: 0-for-2, BB
 
Spartan Pitching
Taylor Lindsay: 7.0 IP, 6 hits, 3 ER, 7 K, 0 BB, 1 WP
 
Game Two
Runs: York 5, Messiah 4
Hits: York 9, Messiah 7
Errors: York 0, Messiah 0
WP: Hannah Vogt (5-5), LP: Maggie Chinnadurai (2-1)
 
How It Happened
• The game was scoreless through the first two innings until the Falcons tallied two runs. Hannah Dyer ripped an RBI triple to center to score the first run. Dyer then scored on a Olivia Denmark single to left for the 2-0 Messiah lead.
• York got one of those runs back as Elle Meyer had a double down the left field line. She came around to score when Alyssa Harhigh ripped double to left center as she missed a home run by less than two feet as the ball banged high off the wall.
• The game would remain 2-1 until the Spartans had a three-run uprising in the sixth. Emma Keller tied the game with an RBI single to score pinch runner Taylor Coon. Emily Netterville singled to left to move pinch runner Jess Cusumano to third. Morgan Sauers hit a ball back to pitcher Maggie Chinnadurai. Chinnadurai looked to make a play at the plate but Cusumano held and the Falcons ended up not having a play as York loaded the bases. Chinnadurai then unloaded back to back wild pitches as York scored a run on each wild pitch to take a 4-2 lead.
• The Falcons responded with a pair of runs in the top of the seventh thanks to a pair of walks. Alexa Burger then ripped a single off of the glove of a diving Harhigh as one run scored. Ellie Litwin then grounded out to Harhigh to tie the game at four. Hannah Vogt got out of the jam as she got a ground out back to the circle as the Spartans headed to the bottom of the seventh needing one run to win.
• The game-winning rally saw the Spartans have a runner at first with two outs. Emma Keller ripped a single to right and Kaela Fritz motored all the way to third from first. Vogt then won the game as she ripped a single through the left side of the infield for the walk off winner.
 
Spartan Offensive Leaders
Emma Keller: 3-for-3, 1 RBI, BB, 2B
Daphney Adams: 2-for-4
Alyssa Harhigh: 1-for-3, RBI, 2B
Elle Meyer: 1-for-3, 1 run, 2B
Hannah Vogt: 1-for-3, RBI
Emily Netterville: 1-for-1, 1 run
 
Spartan Pitching
Hannah Vogt: 7.0 IP, 7 hits, 4 ER, 3 K, 3 BB
 
Spartan Notes
The Spartans are now 20-27 all-time against Messiah as the Spartans have won eight of the last nine games in the series … the Falcon game one win snapped York's seven game win streak against Messiah … the Spartans were shut out for the first time this season in game one … the last time the Spartans got shut out came on March 27 against Widener as the Pride edged York 1-0 in game two of the league doubleheader … the Spartans have outscored their opponents 24-6 in the seventh inning this year … York has not won a game in which they have scored three runs or less as they are 0-7 … York is 8-0 when leading after the sixth inning … the Spartans recognized their seven seniors after the doubleheader as Natalie Decena, Alyssa Harhigh, Alexis Jury, Taylor Lindsay, Elle Meyer, Emily Netterville, and Hannah Vogt were honored for their contributions to the Spartan program.
 
Up Next
The Spartans return to action on Sunday afternoon as they host Juniata College in a non-conference doubleheader. Game one is set for a 1:00 pm start in York.