Game 1 Box Score - Game 2 Box Score
By Cody Swartz, GoMessiah.com reporter
Fredricksburg, VA — Messiah traded the indoor practice facilities of Hitchcock Arena for real grass and dirt Saturday at the University of Mary Washington.
Unfortunately, it wasn't a scrimmage scenario.
Seeing its first live, outdoor action since the conclusion of its fall season, Messiah dropped 7-3 and 2-0 decisions to the host Eagles, beginning its 2011 season in disappointing — if not somewhat expected — fashion.
“We're not quite where we want to be,” said Steve DeRiggs, Messiah's first-year interim head coach. “It was our first taste of live ball, and we should improve with that.”
Senior Travis Thome (0-1) took the hill in Game One, throwing 100 pitches over five hard-fought innings. Thome, Messiah's individual leader in wins last season, struck out eight batters while walking just two. He was tagged for five earned runs and took home the loss.
“Thome's a competitor for us,” DeRiggs said. “He works hard and he'll get his share of wins for us this year.”
Junior Zach Adams pitched the final inning, striking out two while allowing a single run.
Offensively, Messiah (0-2) struggled against Mary Washington's Eric Rehbeis, the Eagles' starting pitcher who threw a complete game six-hitter, allowing two earned runs.
The Falcons recorded just a lone hit until the fifth frame, when junior Ryan Brown led off with a hit by pitch and eventually scored on freshman Jacob Sprengle's sacrifice fly.
Senior Jamie Scott — who moved Brown from first to third base with a double — finished the day with two hits in three at-bats.
“I was very pleased with Jamie Scott today,” DeRiggs said. “He hit the ball hard and looked very comfortable out in center field. I was pleased with his hitting and fielding.”
Although it ultimately fell short, a late Falcons rally led to two more runs, as Sprengle drove in a run on a single and sophomore Paul Mellinger contributed with a single that scored Sprengle.
In Game Two, senior Eric Spring (0-1) received the start. The left-hander threw a complete game, pitching six strong innings, while allowing two earned runs on five hits and a pair of walks. Spring, who struck out five batters, took home the loss as the Falcons' offense failed to score a run for the game.
“Spring was outstanding,” DeRiggs said. “He played against a top 25-caliber team and pretty much dominated. I am very pleased with where he is.”
The Falcons turned in a stellar defensive performance as well, as sophomore Paul Mellinger turned a highlight reel double play in the first inning, handling five chances in the field without an error. Junior Sam Tajiri added a sliding catch in the outfield and senior Jordan Snader totaled 11 putouts at first base.
“We played well overall defensively,” DeRiggs said. “We executed in the infield very well. Catching was good and we tracked fly balls well in the outfield.”
Meanwhile, Jake Black of the Eagles matched Spring frame for frame, as the two hurlers combined to take a double no-hitter into the fourth inning. The Falcons managed base runners in the first and third inning, but a caught stealing on the basepaths and ground ball double play ended the threat.
Mary Washington (2-0) rallied for four straight singles against Spring in the fourth inning, taking a slim 2-0 lead.
Mellinger — the only Falcon to contribute with a hit in each game — registered the Messiah's first hit to lead off the sixth inning, but a double play cancelled what could have been a rally.
For the game, the Falcons totaled five base runners. Four were either caught stealing or wiped out on double plays.
“We can't manufacture too many runs without any base runners,” DeRiggs said. “It's a shame it wasted a superior pitching performance by Spring.”
The Falcons went down 1-2-3 in their last chance in the seventh inning against Eagles' relief pitcher Ryan Engelking. Mary Washington — a team that won 28 games in 2010 and won the Capital Athletic Conference Championship — entered the game receiving votes in the Pre-Season D3baseball.com Top 25 Poll.
“We're going to get better every week,” DeRiggs said. “I was encouraged by the three late runs in the first game and we had outstanding pitching and defense in the second game. We feel we will be better each week and we expect to get a win or two next week.”
Messiah will play part two of their three-week Virginia swing next Saturday, as the team is set to travel to Harrisonburg, Virginia to take on Eastern Mennonite University in a double-header. Game time for the first of two is slated to begin at 12 p.m.
