The University of Mary Washington softball team dropped their first two games of the year to Messiah College on Saturday afternoon in Fredericksburg, Va. The Eagles dropped the first game 8-2, and the second game 10-4.

In the first game, the Falcons jumped on top 2-0 in the first inning on a two-run homerun. The Eagles added a score in the second inning as Rachel Porchie doubled to left center, and Kassie Bender knocked her home on a single to left field with two outs.  

Messiah scored two runs in the top of the fifth, and then added three runs in the sixth to grab control of the game 7-1. After Messiah scored their eighth run in the seventh, the Eagles got one back as Porchie singled and then scored on a double from Mikie Williams. 

Danielle Newman went 2-3 with a double and a triple in the game. Kara Deppe pitched 6.0 innings and struck out 10 batters.  

In the second game, the Falcons struck first as they scored three runs in the first inning. Messiah College grabbed three more runs in the fourth inning to up their lead to 6-0. UMW got on the board in the fifth inning, as Bender reached base on an error. Amy Sykes came to the plate and hit a double to bring her home. Hannah Bruns then singled and Malia Rogers walked to load the bases.  

The Eagles added another tally as they scored on an error from the first baseman. Porchie added an RBI with two outs as she brought home Bruns and the Eagles were down 6-3. The Falcons added three runs in the seventh inning to push their lead to 10-3. 

The Eagles tried to mount a rally in the seventh inning as Daylah Sawyer tripled to deep right center and then Newman brought her home on a single. That was the only run the Eagles could push across in the seventh as they lost 10-4.

Megan Hibbs pitched 6.0 innings in the second game as she gave up five earned runs and struck out two. Bruns and Newman both collected two hits.

UMW will be back in action on Sunday as they host Gettysburg in a doubleheader set for 12 p.m.