Two-run home run lifts Messiah (Pa.) past No. 4 Softball in first round of NCAA III Championships

Cortney Cash

By Tim Glon

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MONTCLAIR, N.J. -- Jaclyn Merkel hit a 2-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning, lifting Messiah (Pa.) past No. 4-ranked Ohio Northern 3-1 Friday afternoon in Game 2 of the NCAA Division III Softball Championships at Montclair State University Softball Stadium.

The Falcons (40-4) advance in the winner's bracket and will face No. 25-ranked Gustavus Adolphus (Minn.) on Saturday at 4 pm.

The Polar Bears (39-5) drop to the loser's bracket and will face No. 4-ranked Texas-Tyler Saturday morning at 11 am.

Messiah got on the board first when Lauren Seneca led off the bottom of the third with a single down the left field line, went to second on  sacrifice bunt by Ashley Lehman and scored on a single up the middle by Abi Buchler.

Northern got the equalizer in the top of the fifth when Jackie Mangola led off the inning with a single to left, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Cassie Gaye and scored on a two-out bloop single down the right field line by Cortney Cash.

Merkel then drilled a 2-run home run,her team-best seventh of the season, in the bottom of the sixth to put the Falcons up 3-1. Buchler started the rally by drawing a walk and pinch-runner Rebecca Stackhouse went to second on a sacrifice bunt by Rebekkah Funk.

Northern threatened in the top of the seventh, as Cassie Gaye led off with a single and Katie Cretin followed with a double to right, putting runners on second and third with none out.

But Cash struck out, Mandi Fought fouled out to left and Liz Decima hit a blop single to left that MC shortstop Seneca caught on a dead run for the final out to end the contest.

“It was a good game, two good pitchers going after it," ONU head coach Annette Shepherd said. "I would say based on the hits it was a pretty even game. But their team came out with a little more power with the home run. Defensively it was a sound game for both teams.

"Our girls, I think, the first time being here took the pitches they were supposed to swing at and swung at the pitches they were supposed to let go. So we showed a little bit of [being] undisciplined in the box. Our team was hitting .391 up until regionals. So we haven’t been on in a couple of weeks. Eevery team here is good. So every mistake you make the other teams capitalize and it will hurt you in the end. We play Texas-Tyler tomorrow…very, very good team; again another good pitcher. So it’s going to be hard—for both of us.”

Jessica Rhoades (25-1) earned the win on the mound, allowing only six hits and striking out nine.

Cash (28-3) threw well in a losing effort for the Polar Bears, allowing only six hits in six innings of work.

Ohio Northern advanced to the NCAA III Championships by winning the Greencastle, Ind., Regional title as the top-seed, while Messiah won the Mahwah, NJ, regional as the No. 7-seed to reach the Championships.