In the past few seasons, the Falcons have produced five professional players. Read below for summaries on Dave Henninger, Chris Regan, Chris Heisey, Jake Sprengle, and Steven Ridings. In addition, keep posted on the current path of Heisey through the link listed by his profile.
2005 Major League Baseball Draft
Dave Henninger, 21st Round, Kansas City, RHP
When Dave Henninger’s name was called in the 2006 draft, the 6'8" right-handed pitcher went into the Messiah University record books as the first baseball player to be drafted by a professional team. A graduate in 2005, Henninger played on two Commonwealth Championship teams, earning two trips to the NCAA Division III National Baseball Tournament.
After a two-year stint in professional baseball, Henninger decided to hang up his cleats. In his first season, Henninger worked his way through the organizational chain as he played for the Idaho Falls Chuckars in Rookie Ball before being advanced to the Low-A Burlington ( Iowa) Bees. In Henninger’s second season in the minors, he spent the season with Burlington as he spent time in both the starting role and out of the bullpen.
In December of 2006, Henninger married former women’s basketball All-American Eli Cook. Deciding to devote time to his marriage, Henninger found it best to retire from pro ball.
In the record books for single-season winning percentage (1.000, 8-0 in 2004), strikeouts in a season (86), career winning percentage (.813, 18-4), most strikeouts per nine innings in a career (10.6) and lowest average number of hits over nine innings for a career (6.43), Henninger is considered one of the premier pitchers to ever come out of the Middle Atlantic Conference.
"Messiah baseball provided me with the opportunity to grow on and off the field and it prepared me for my career in professional baseball," said Henninger. "The unique atmosphere surrounded me with great Christian teammates and now lifelong friends."
Chris Regan, Free Agent, Tampa Bay Rays, C
A battery-mate to Henninger, Chris Regan got his opportunity to play professional baseball with the Tampa Bay organization. After not seeing his name picked in the two days of the professional draft, Regan got an immediate call from the Devil Rays who wanted to pick him up as a free agent.
Regan was sent to the Rookie affiliate of the D-Rays, the Princeton Devil Rays. In one professional season in Princeton, Regan received spot starts behind the plate behind a veteran catcher. The Devil Rays asked Regan to report to spring training the next year, however, Regan decided to take a career path change and head to Kansas City for continuing education in the Forerunner School of Ministry.
In his college days, Regan was a partial starter his freshman year before taking over full duties behind the plate for his remaining three years. One of the most talented hitters to ever come through Messiah, and the Commonwealth Conference, Regan holds records for: single-season RBI’s (42), single-season doubles (17), single-season extra base hits (28) and career RBI’s (115).
“I absolutely loved my experience playing baseball at Messiah University,” stated Regan. “It was such a wonderful opportunity to play a game we all loved with a central focus of honoring God through our actions and play. Looking down the road, having played with Coach Engle, I am thrilled to see the heights the program will elevate to.”
2006 Major League Baseball Draft
Chris Heisey, 17th Round, Cincinnati Reds, OF
Messiah’s string of players in the pros continued in 2006 with junior outfielder, Chris Heisey, being picked up in the 17th round. The Cincinnati Reds made a generous offer to Heisey, therefore enticing him to forego his senior year of eligibility and make the jump to professional baseball.
Heisey became Messiah’s first alumnus to play in the MLB when he made his debut with the Cincinnati Reds on May 3, 2010, against the New York Mets. Heisey would go on to bat .254 over 97 games for the Reds that year, hitting eight homeruns and collecting 21 runs batted in (RBI). In 2011, Heisey would break out to hit 18 homeruns and collect 50 RBI while maintaining his .254 batting average over 120 games. Mainly a left fielder, Heisey also made starts in center field and right field for a Reds team that went 79-83.
A signature moment for the native of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, was a
three-homerun game against the New York Yankees on July 22. Heisey was also featured a few times on ESPN’s Top 10 Plays for his polished defense in the outfield.
Heisey’s first summer in pro ball saw him play for the Billings Mustangs, the Rookie affiliate of the Reds, in 2006. He quickly continued to develop in the organization and in his first full-season made the jump from Low-A (Dayton Dragons) to High-A (Sarasota Reds). In Dayton, Heisey played in 104 games and hit .289 while driving in 46 runs and hitting nine home runs and 24 doubles. In late July, the Reds called him up to Sarasota where he immediately jumped into the picture and made an impact by hitting .349 in 12 games before an untimely injury sidelined him for the rest of the season.
In his college days, despite only being in the record books for three years, Heisey holds many offensive records. For single-season marks, Heisey holds the records for: total bases (106), hits (63), home runs (nine), and longest hitting streak (14 games). In the career category, he holds the records for: batting average (.405), total bases (294), doubles (41), and home runs (23). Many coaches in the conference remarked that Heisey was the best player to ever play in the Commonwealth.
“I could not have had a better college experience then I had at Messiah,” said Heisey. “The Christian atmosphere was perfect for me as I grew in my faith. Playing competitive baseball and making lifetime friends, who could ask for more?”
2013 Major League Baseball Draft
Jake Sprengle, New York Eastern Baseball Leagues
After graduating from Messiah in 2013, Jake Sprengle signed a professional contract with two Independent Professional teams in the New York Eastern Baseball Leagues. Sprengle was a four-year starter for the Falcons, and played both outfield and first base. He earned All-MAC Commonwealth honors his senior season for his play at first base, where he led the Falcons with .371 batting average to go along with three home runs and 28 RBI.
2016 Major League Baseball Draft
Steven Ridings, 29th Round, Seattle Mariners, SP
Ridings became the Falcons' third player in 12 years to be selected in the MLB Draft when Seattle took the starting pitcher in the 29th round (867th pick) on June 11, 2016.
He began the journey to the Big Leagues after putting together a tremendous season for Messiah in 2016. He went 7-4 overall in 14 starts with a 1.72 ERA, and across 83.2 innings pitched Ridings allowed just 65 hits and 21 walks against 99 strikeouts. As the season wore on Ridings was even better as he allowed just a single earned run over his last 34 innings pitched (0.26 ERA) to help the Falcons advance to the MAC Commonwealth Championship against Widener. In his only postseason start Ridings threw one of the biggest gems in program history: a complete-game (nine innings) with just a single earned run and two walks against 14 strikeouts in a 4-1 win over No. 1 seed Alvernia.
Ridings also earned a save in his only other postseason showing this season, doing so by inducing a flyout with the bases loaded against Stevenson to seal a 3-1 win.
The MAC Commonwealth Pitcher of the Year, Ridings set career-best marks in 2016 in ERA (1.72), wins (7), appearances (14), starts (12), innings pitched (83.2), HR allowed (0), batting average against (.207), and strikeouts (99).
