Junior
Dan Etter blasted three hits - including a triple - but it was E'Town that slugged more Monday.
Elizabethtown, PA — It was a vastly different ballgame Monday afternoon at MAC Commonwealth foe Elizabethtown College, as the host Blue Jays dealt Messiah a 12-10 defeat at Boyd Stadium.
The high-octane decision followed a pair of pitchers' duels Saturday, as the Falcons and Blue Jays split 4-1 and 2-4 decisions.
There was no such activity Monday, however, as the clubs combined for 23 hits and 20 RBI — posting runs in all but five of the 18 half-innings.
Messiah (7-12-1, 1-2) scored in six of its nine at-bats, but Elizabethtown (10-7, 2-1) responded with at least one run in five of its following plate appearances — not getting a chance to reply to the Falcons' lone score in the game-concluding top of the ninth.
“Ten runs should be enough to get the job done but unfortunately today it wasn't enough,” said Bryan Engle, Messiah head coach. “The most frustrating thing is that we were 'o' for five in shutdown inning opportunities, or innings in which we scored and then they responded.”
Such was the case in each of the first three innings, as a sacrifice fly from junior Sheldon Witmer plated the game's first run in the top of the first. E'Town answered with a four-run bottom half of the inning, making the most of a passed ball strike out to land its lead-off batter on base. Three singles and two walks followed, putting Messiah in a 4-1 hole immediately.
“Giving up a four-spot in the first is always tough and it's amazing how much an inning can turn by such a simple play,” Engle said. “The first batter got on base after a strikeout, passed ball and the next batter struck out. So instead of having two outs and nobody on, they have a runner on second with one out. Six batters later, they have four runs across.”
Perhaps the game's breaking point came in the third inning, as after the clubs traded single scores in the second inning, Messiah erupted for three scores in its half of the third. A double from junior Jordan Zimmerman plated a run, while a timely single from junior Dan Etter drove in two more.
The Falcons had come back to tie the game 5-5.
It did not last long.
E'Town utilized a lead off walk and a long fly ball to tack another score on in the bottom half of the inning, reclaiming a 6-5 advantage.
The Blue Jays would never give that lead up, scoring a pair in the bottom of the fifth to take an 8-5 advantage. A triple from Etter would help the Falcons pull within an 8-7 difference in the top of the sixth, but again E'Town had an answer: The Blue Jays responded with two more runs in its half of that inning, reclaiming a 10-7 lead through six complete.
A two-run homer from Zimmerman pulled Messiah within a 10-9 difference in the top of the seventh, but another two-RBI hit from the Blue Jays made it a 12-9 game in the bottom half of the stanza. Following a scoreless eighth, Messiah carded just one run in the ninth — coming off a fielder's choice — leaving just the game-tying run at the plate as Zimmerman struck out swinging.
“E'Town did the job at the plate that they needed to do,” Engle said. “They had some strong swings and drives but they were content to shorten their approaches and put the ball in play. The balls found the holes or found spots where we couldn't make a play. In the end, it's smart baseball on their part and it turned out to be successful.”
Elizabethtown blasted 15 hits on the day to Messiah's eight, though the Blue Jays left 11 runners on base compared to the Falcons' four. Zimmerman and Etter paced the Messiah attack at the plate, each registering three hits and driving in three. Zimmerman's seventh inning homer was his first long ball of the season; Etter's triple was also his first three-bagger of the year.
“Offensively, we took way too many third strikes as nine of our 13 strikeouts were called third strikes,” Engle said. “Thirteen strikeouts is too many to begin with, and our approaches need to change. When a pitch is close, you have to swing and try to put the ball in play. No rules say you have to hit the ball hard. You may get a base hit, or you may do your job and move a runner up. But, just looking at third strikes is not a good formula for success. It does appear we have some guys pressing at the plate right now and they don't seem to be comfortable with their swing or their timing to get going. Many times, it comes down to just relaxing and trusting yourself instead of trying to overanalyze.”
Freshman Thor Arnesen (1-2) was saddled with the pitching loss, coming on in relief of sophomore Eric Spring and going three and two thirds innings. Junior Elliott Thomas relieved Arnesen in the sixth inning. All three hurlers allowed at least four hits and two runs, issuing a total eight walks on the afternoon.
“Simply said, we need consistency out of all phases of the game, but especially on the mound,” Engle said. “Maybe it's because I'm a former pitcher and I expect really good pitching, but its frustrating to score 10 runs and know we didn't win. As a pitcher, you have to have a mental edge and drive that says you will find a way to get the job done at any cost. Eric Spring has had some solid starts and some that he would say are not so good. He has a very high ceiling in terms of talent. We just need to continue to work for a strong level of consistency for him.”
Messiah will not have long to sit on the league defeat, as the Falcons host USA South Conference member Shenandoah University tomorrow for a single, nine-inning contest. The Hornets are receiving votes in the latest national Top 25 poll. Tuesday's game time is set for 3:30 p.m.
“My job, as I often tell the team, is to give our team the best opportunity to win,” Engle said. “As we hit the end of March, it may be time to make some moves or adjustments to our line-up, our players, our pitching until we can find a formula for consistency. Guys have had opportunities to show themselves now and if they aren't producing, other guys will need to be given the chance to show they can help. Obviously we want to be peaking and playing at a high level now that we are in conference play, and we have to know what we can get from guys at this point. At this moment, we aren't getting the consistency we need, in all phases, to be successful as a team. We'll keep working.”
