WINCHESTER, Va. - The Shenandoah University softball team registered a university first Tuesday afternoon by sweeping a pair of non-league games with Messiah College.

The Hornets (5-3) became the first SU team, male or female, to ever beat the nation's top-ranked team with 5-4 and 7-6 wins over No. 1 Messiah (3-2).

The men's basketball team's win over then No. 2 Christopher Newport in 2000 was the previous highest ranked team a Shenandoah squad had knocked off until Tuesday's sweep.

In the opener, the Falcons scored a pair of unearned runs in the first off of SU starter Brooke Over (2-2), but the Hornets rallied with three runs on two hits in the fourth to take a 3-2 lead.

Messiah, the 2009 NCAA Division III National Champions, pushed across two runs in the sixth to retake the lead before Shenandoah plated a pair of its own in the bottom of the frame to regain the advantage for good.

Senior Lauren Wall had the big hit, driving in Ashley Plaugher and Jolisa Jones with a one-out single to center.

Following a pop-out to start the sixth, Plaugher doubled to center and Jones was hit by a pitch.

Over allowed four runs (one earned) on four hits and one walk while striking out six.

Jessica Rhodes took the loss for MC despite striking out 12.

A five-run third inning gave the Hornets a lead they would not relinquish in the nightcap.

This rally came with two outs and started with singles up the middle by Catherine Pruiett and Plaugher. An error at shortstop allowed Jones to reach and then Wall came through again, drilling a two-run single to center to score Pruiett and Plaugher.

Shatora Lane plated Jones with a single to left and after a walk, freshman Denise Mitchell came though with a two-run single to right to make it 5-1.

Messiah scored two runs each in the fifth and sixth, with Shenandoah countering with one of its own at its turn at bat, before the Falcons closed out the scoring with a single run in the seventh.

With the tying run at third, freshman Amanda Litwin (3-1) induced a groundball to third for the final out of the day.

Litwin won her third straight decision by allowing six runs (three earned) on eight hits and five walks in 7.0 innings. She struck out two.

SU continues its non-conference play on Wednesday, taking on 2009 NCAA Tournament participant Neumann College on the road in another doubleheader.

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