GRANTHAM, Pa. – Despite a doubleheader sweep at the hands of Messiah on Wednesday, the Stevenson University softball team clinched a spot in the upcoming MAC Commonwealth playoffs.
 
The Mustangs (18-15, 10-6 MAC Commonwealth) dropped both games by scores of 7-3 and 7-4 to the Falcons (27-10, 11-3 MAC Commonwealth).
 
While the Mustangs will not know their exact seeding until after this weekend, they have advanced to the tournament slated for May 4-6 at LVC Softball Park.
 
Turning back to Wednesday's doubleheader, Messiah opened up a 2-0 after the first inning of the opener and built the lead to 7-0 after four.
 
Stevenson countered back with two in the sixth as Rebecca Henry singled in Rebecca Maiorano, followed by Henry scoring on a sacrifice RBI by Maddie Bosley.
 
Edwards would account for the lone run in the seventh, as she reached on an error that allowed Abbie Peterson to score.
 
Maiorano finished game one 3-for-3 with a double, while McKenzie Tobler, Bosley, Henry and Kat Perea each picked up hits.
 
Marissa Heuer took the loss, falling to 11-6. She struck out five and walked four in three innings of work. Ky Vaughn had three innings in relief, allowing just one hit.
 
In game two, Messiah struck first again before Stevenson tied the score in the top half of the second as Perea drew a bases loaded walk scoring Maiorano.
 
Messiah would score two in the third, one in the fourth and three in the fifth to go up 7-1. In the sixth, Tobler had a two-run single that scored Henry and Maddie Buher to cut the deficit to 7-3.
 
In the seventh, Heuer forced a run in on a bases loaded walk that scored Katie Dainton. The Mustangs had the bases loaded with two outs but could not anymore across.
 
Jillian Haines went 3-for-4 in the nightcap, as Tobler and Buher each had two hits.
 
Vaughn took the loss, falling to 2-1.