Messiah College found its hitting stroke in a big way and rolled to a 14-6 victory over Marywood University in an elimination bracket game in the NCAA Division III Softball Regional at the University of Rochester on Saturday afternoon.
 
The game was shortened to five innings due to the run rule. Messiah scored six runs in the second inning and six more in the fifth. Only three of Messiah's runs were earned as Marywood commited four errors.
 
Courtney Allen was 2-4 with two runs scored and six RBIs for Messiah. Becky Notte was 4-4 with one run scored and three RBIs. Five players drove in at least one run.
 
For Marywood, Stephanie Bagniewski was 1-1, a three-run home run in the first that helped Marywood leap to a 5-1 lead. Diana Butash was 2-3.
 
Claressa Mees earned the victory in relief. She took over for Mallory Rutledge with one out in the first. With one out, Rutledge allowed a single, a hit batsman, and a walk to load the bases. Samantha Rayhon singled in a run. Mariah Runco scored on a wild pitch, and Bagniewski followed with a three-run home run to left field.
 
Mees relieved and retired five of the next six hitters and seven of eight. In the top of the second, Messiah scored six runs – all unearned – to take a 7-5 lead. Brooke Pompeop singled home two. Allen singled in two more, and Becky Notte homered to left field for two additional runs.
 
Notte singled home Brooke Pompeo in the fourth. Messiah broke it open in the fifth. With one down Nicole Blatnz doubled and took third on a wild pitch. Mees singled and Emily Quatrale's groundout scored Blantz. That was followed by a walk, a pinch-hit single, and a fielding error to make it 10-6. Allen hit her grand slam to right center.
 
The loss knocked Marywood (24-13) out of the tournament. Head coach Bob Fitzsimmons can take away a lot of positives from his team's experience.
 
"It's been an incredible run for this group," he said. "We got to the NCAAs and they got my 200^th career win for me. Everybody's been a part of this success. Our seniors and captains keep us together."
 
Messiah's victory (29-10) snapped a three-game losing streak for the Falcons, including a 4-1 loss to Alfred on Friday in the first round of the tournament. Messiah lost later on Saturday, 4-3, to host Rochester to determine which team advances to Sunday's championship round vs. Alfred.