GRANTHAM, PA – The Spartan softball team dropped a MAC Commonwealth doubleheader to Messiah University on Sunday afternoon in Grantham.
The Falcons won game one 3-1 and completed the sweep with a 9-1 victory in five innings in the nightcap.
Messiah improves to 22-6 overall and 10-0 in the Commonwealth while the Spartans fall to 10-18 overall and 5-5 in the league.
 
Game One
Runs: York 1 – Messiah 3
Hits: York 6 – Messiah 5
Errors: York 0 – Messiah 0
LOB: York 4 – Messiah 12
WP: Maggie Chinnadurai (11-2); LP: Natalie Rietema (6-9)
 
How It Happened
• The Falcons opened the scoring on a Fallon Feaser RBI single up the middle in the bottom of the first inning. The game remained 1-0 until the top of the sixth inning when the Spartans produced their lone run of the game. With two outs in the frame, Gretchen Barstad tripled to right field. Emma Wade then tied the game with an RBI double to right center.
• The Falcons took the lead in the bottom of the inning as they plated a pair to take the 3-1 lead. Messiah loaded the bases thanks in large part to a pair of hit batters. Feaser plated the first run of the frame with a sacrifice fly to center. A walk followed by a third hit by pitch in the inning plated the insurance run for Messiah.
• York went down in order in the seventh as the Spartans couldn't muster a rally.
 
Spartan Offensive Leaders
Gretchen Barstad: 2-for-3, 1 run, 2B, 3B
Emma Wade: 1-for-3, RBI, 2B
Rylee Dreyer: 1-for-3
Alexis McDonaugh: 1-for-2, BB
 
Spartan Pitching
Natalie Rietema: 6.0 IP, 5 hits, 3 ER, 4 K, 5 BB, 5 HB
 
Game Two
Runs: York 1 – Messiah 9
Hits: York 4 – Messiah 10
Errors: York 2 – Messiah 0
LOB: York 3 – Messiah 5
WP: Maggie Chinnaduari (12-2); LP: Gretchen Barstad (4-4)
 
How It Happened
• The Falcons seized control of the game in the third with a four-run inning. The big blow in the inning came off the bat of senior Kandice Schlabach as jacked a two-run homer to right. York broke up the shutout in the fourth. Emma Wade singled with one out to start the uprising. Adam McDonaugh then moved Wade to third with a single down the right field line. Wade scored on a Kate Miller sacrifice fly to center, getting York on the board.
• The Falcons hit York with a five-run bottom of the fifth to invoke the run rule. Hannah Dyer closed out the game with a three-run bomb to right center for the 9-1 final.
 
Spartan Offensive Leaders
Emma Wade: 1-for-2, 1 run
Gretchen Barstad: 1-for-2
Kate Miller: 0-for-1, RBI, SF
Alexis McDonaugh: 1-for-2
 
Spartan Pitching
Gretchen Barstad: 4.2 IP, 10 hits, 8 runs, 7 ER, 2 K, 1 BB
 
Spartan Notes
York is now 23-34 all-time against the Falcons as Messiah has won five of the last six meetings between the two programs … York was held to just two runs on ten hits in the doubleheader … the Messiah pitching staff walked just one Spartan while York pitching walked six and hit five more Falcons in the two games … York matched a season high with two home runs allowed in game two … the Spartans registered their fifth sacrifice fly of the year with Kate Miller's game two RBI fly out … Alexis McDonaugh extended her current hit streak to a season-high ten games … McDonaugh also extended her team-leading reached base safely streak to 22 games in the two games … Gretchen Barstad picked up her eighth multi-hit game of the year in game one … York has lost five of their last seven … the Spartans still control their own destiny in terms of making the MAC Commonwealth tournament … York is 5-5 as they are a game back of Stevenson as the Mustangs are 6-4 as the Spartans are all alone in the final playoff spot … York will travel to Stevenson on Friday for a key doubleheader … the Spartans have a one-game lead over Hood for fourth but the Blazers still have three conference doubleheaders remaining.
 
Up Next
The Spartans close out their 2025 home schedule on Wednesday afternoon as they host Salisbury University in a non-conference contest. First pitch for game one is scheduled for 2:30 pm at Spartan Stadium.