WESTMINSTER, Md. - McDaniel College softball senior Evie Craig hit her first home run of the season, but Messiah held on for a 4-2 victory Thursday in a rare, single game meeting between the two teams at the Softball Park.

It was the ninth game this season for the Green Terror (9-20) decided by two runs or less with the team falling to 3-6 in those contests.

Craig went 1-for-4 with a solo home run while graduate student Katy Newton was 1-for-2 with a walk and senior Kylie Sears was 1-for-2 with a walk and an RBI-double. With a single in the bottom of the third, Netwon now has 98 career hits.

The Falcons (24-10) took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third when Ali Wagner stole home before McDaniel tied it in the bottom of the fourth on a double by Sears that scored junior Makayla Calamita.

Messiah regained the lead with two runs in the top of the fifth with both coming on two-out, RBI singles by McKenzie Shannon and Hannah Dyer. The visitors would add their fourth run in the sixth on an RBI-single by Allie Book.

Craig hit her first home run of the season and second of her career with one out in the bottom of the seventh to pull the Green Terror within two, but Maggie Chinnadurai came on in relief of Lydia Collison, striking out the only two batters she faced to pick up her third save.

Despite allowing three walks, two hits and one earned run over 2.2 innings, Collison picked up her 14th win in 16 decisions this season as Messiah improved to 14-4 on the road.

Five different players had one hit apiece for McDaniel. Calamita was 1-for-2 with a walk and a run scored while junior Mandy Butz who went 1-for-4 with a double.

Three of the five hits for the Green Terror went for extra bases, but the team stranded nine runners on base, including six in scoring position.

After three non-conference contests this week, McDaniel returns to Centennial Conference play on Saturday as the team travels to Swarthmore for a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.