Carlisle, PA — A week-long losing skid spilled over a bit longer for the Messiah College baseball team Monday afternoon, as the Falcons dropped their fifth straight ballgame in a 6-3 defeat at Dickinson College.
Messiah (22-14) was able to get on top by a 3-2 score after five complete innings, but a three-run bottom of the sixth from the host Red Devils eventually spelled doom for the visitors, a loss that equaled the Falcons' longest losing skid of the season.
“We've lost some games over the past week or so, but we're not playing bad baseball,” said Bryan Engle, Messiah head coach. “We've just struggled to come up with the key hits and we've left some guys on base.”
The latter category was crucial for Engle's club Monday, as Messiah stranded 13 base runners after generating 11 hits on the day. A double from sophomore Jordan Zimmerman was driven home by sophomore Jon Shenk in the second inning, but two straight fly-outs limited Messiah to a single run — with two left on base.
Dickinson (11-22) then pushed around a pair of scores in its half of the second behind five singles, as sophomore Sheldon Witmer (5-1) got off to a shaky start on the mound. Messiah captured its 3-2 lead behind solo scores in the fourth and fifth innings, as doubles from both senior Ben Jordan and Shenk helped the cause in the former. When Jordan flied out to left field in the fifth, sophomore Adam Ranck scored via sacrifice.
Again Messiah would have troubles keeping the momentum going, however, stranding another two base runners in the fifth. Senior Craig Mease and junior Ben Kirk both singled but were unable to advance.
Dickinson then came up with the game-deciding inning in the sixth, as the Red Devils plated three scores off of three hits — with the help of a Falcons' error. Witmer was eventually removed in favor of Jordan in the seventh, though all of Dickinson's runs came on Witmer's watch, with one unearned.
Messiah finished its final three plate appearances with results typical of recent efforts, as the Falcons left the bases loaded in both the eighth and ninth innings.
No runs were scored.
“To win games in college baseball, you have to take advantage of opportunities,” Engle said. “For whatever reason, we're just struggling to do that right now. I do feel that we're ever so close to turning the corner, though. It's a case where I think it's just a matter of time before we start capitalizing again.”
Shenk led Messiah's offensive efforts, going 3-4 with two RBI. Jordan and Zimmerman each finished with a pair of hits — and a double apiece — while Ranck, Mease, Kirk and senior Ben Snyder all registered single hits as well. Witmer was saddled with the pitching loss in six and one third innings pitched, his first defeat of the season.
Messiah will have just hours to think about the day's loss, however, as the team will host McDaniel College tomorrow for a single, nine-inning contest. Game time is set for 3:30 p.m. at Starry Field.
