York, PA - The Messiah Falcons' season came to a close on Friday morning after their second consecutive loss in the Commonwealth Tournament came at the hands of the Widener Pride 13-5. The Pride scored all 13 of their runs in the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings.
 
For the second straight day, it looked like the game was going to be a pitcher's duel, but in a 0-0 game the Pride exploded for six runs in the sixth and never looked back.
 
As mentioned, The Pride and Falcons traded zeros through the first five innings. Both teams had chances to dent the scoreboard in the first six frames but neither could push the first run across. In the fourth both teams stranded two runners and in the fifth the Falcons escaped a bases loaded jam to keep the game scoreless.
 
However in the sixth inning the floodgates opened for the Pride. They scored six runs in the inning on just two hits and no errors. The Falcons hit a batter and walked three more in the inning. All three free passes and the hit batsmen came around to score in the frame.
 
Facing a six run deficient, the Falcons pushed one run across thanks to back-to-back doubles by Derek Drake and Jon Heisey with one out. Unfortunately for Messiah, the Falcons could not collect another hit and Heisey was stranded at third.
 
The Pride tacked on four insurance runs in the top of the seventh to take a 10-1 lead before Ben Sollenberger led off the bottom half of the inning with a solo homer to left field.
 
After the Pride scored three more in the eighth to take a 13-2 lead, the Falcons countered with three runs of their own in the bottom half of the ninth, but it was too little too late and the Falcons fell by a final of 13-5. In the three run ninth, four different Falcons made their final plate appearances. All four seniors reached base; Matt Simeone and Derek Drake walked while Zach Brubaker and Jon Heisey both singled. Heisey drove in two runs in his final at bat as a Falcon.
 
With the loss the Falcons' season comes to a close with a record of 17-20.