Newark, NJ – It was a similar script Saturday morning for the Messiah College baseball team, as the Falcons' season ended in a 9-3 defeat to Keystone College in the 2008 NCAA Division III Baseball Mid-Atlantic Regional.
In eerily similar fashion to its Thursday loss to defending national champion and regional top seed Kean University, Messiah (28-18) again stranded 10 base runners while hurting itself in a singular inning, allowing six runs in an error-aided bottom of the fourth to dig an unrecoverable hole.
With the team's second loss in the double-elimination tournament, Messiah concluded its season.
“You have to be at the top of your game to move on once you reach the regional tournament,” said Bryan Engle, Messiah head coach. “We hurt ourselves at times in both of our losses here. Against the caliber of teams you're playing, you just can't do that.”
Following a complete wash out Friday, the fifth-seeded Falcons met up with seventh-seeded Keystone (32-11) – a team that dropped a 14-9 decision to second seed Rowan University Wednesday night but responded with an 11-5 win over sixth-seeded DeSales University Thursday.
Saturday's game began promisingly enough, as freshman Travis Thome successfully navigated out of a first-inning triple in his ninth pitching start of the year. Keystone finally broke through in the bottom of the third inning, however, producing a lead-off triple that was followed by a two-out single.
Trailing 1-0, Engle's club wasted no time in making up the deficit, singling twice in the top of the fourth to deadlock things. Sophomore Jordan Zimmerman singled on a blooper to left field, which was followed by a drawn walk to junior Jonny Ebersole.
Following a fly-out from junior Ben Kirk, senior Ben Snyder came up with a clutch single to right, scoring Zimmerman.
Momentum of the game would change dramatically in the bottom of the stanza.
Keystone recaptured a one-run lead following a lead-off walk and subsequent double, only to record a single with its third batter of the inning to take a 3-1 lead. Thome then composed himself to force a sacrifice groundout and strikeout, putting Messiah just an out away from minor damage.
A rare error from senior Craig Mease turned out to be costly.
Keystone scored one off the bobbled grounder to the shortstop only for the next Giants' batter to catch just enough of a Thome curveball, producing a wind-aided home run just over the reach of Snyder in left field.
The end result was a total six runs cashed in by the designated home team – with just one earned.
“It was a little thing that came back to hurt us,” Engle said. “At this stage of the season, if you give teams extra outs, more than likely you're going to pay. And we did.”
Messiah did its best to chip away at the lead, but seven hits scattered over the final five innings simply wasn't enough. The Falcons added a single score in the fifth – senior Kyle Stuckey's lead-off double was batted in by a single from sophomore Adam Ranck – and in the sixth, as a lead-off double from Snyder was brought home by another single from Ranck.
Keystone padded its 7-3 lead with three two-out hits in the bottom of the sixth, however, as senior Ben Jordan replaced Thome on the mound to begin the stanza. Jordan forced a pair of groundouts to start his day but then gave up two singles and a double, providing the final difference.
Seniors Jeremy Stoltzfus and Chandler Sheaffer then split the final two innings of pitching work for the Falcons, with Stoltzfus giving up the final two hits to the Giants, striking out two as well.
Unfortunately for Engle's club, Messiah could generate just two hits in its final three at-bats, as Zimmerman singled in the seventh and sophomore Sheldon Witmer singled in the ninth.
Thome (4-4) suffered the pitching loss, finishing five complete innings of work while allowing seven runs off of nine hits, though just three of the scores were earned. He struck out four of the 23 batters he faced.
Snyder, Stuckey, Zimmerman, Ranck and Witmer all provided two hits for the Falcons, with Stuckey's two doubles leading the way. Snyder doubled as well, scoring a run while producing an RBI. Ranck finished 2-5 at the plate with two RBI.
“We did not give up or give in today, and that's a credit to our seniors and our team,” Engle said. “The story of today was very similar to our game with Kean, in that we gave Keystone an opportunity and they capitalized. When we had our opportunities, we simply didn't come through. That's not making excuses. That's just baseball.”
Messiah ends its season tying a school-record with 28 wins, while first-year skipper Engle must attempt to find a way to replace a stellar senior class – the only class in Messiah history to play in two NCAA regional tournaments.
“Anytime you close a season, it's hard,” Engle said after an emotional post-game talk with his team. “No matter the score, or if it's a regular-season finish, it's tough. But it's always harder if you make it this far.
“For me, saying goodbye to these seniors is especially difficult,” he continued. “They've bought in to what we've tried to do as a first-year coaching staff, and their leadership on and off the field has eased my burdens as a head coach. I'll have guys wearing those (seniors' jersey) numbers next year, but it's not going to be the same. They will be very difficult to replace.”
With Friday's day-long rain postponements, the 2008 Mid-Atlantic Regional will end either Sunday or Monday. Live stats, game recaps and schedule information is available at the tournament website.
“We are building,” Engle said. “Our ultimate goal is to make it a surprise when Messiah doesn't qualify for an NCAA regional, not the other way around. We're making moves in the right direction, and this year's team is a big part of that.”
