Box Score
By Cody Swartz, GoMessiah.com reporter
Ewing, NJ — Thought Messiah's 2011 season was all but dead following a 4-11 start?
Think again.
Messiah continued its torrid play Tuesday afternoon, blasting 17th-ranked The College of New Jersey by a 10-3 score at the Lions' George Ackerman Park.
The Falcons have now won eight straight games since returning from their Florida spring break trip, while Tuesday's decision snapped a nine-game win streak TCNJ (13-3), as Messiah took its second contest against a Top 25 team in as many days, taking advantage of a big comeback and five Lions' errors.
“We played two games against nationally-ranked teams in two days, and we did exceptionally well,” said Steve DeRiggs, Messiah head coach. “I was very pleased with today, especially the way we came from behind. We kept chipping away and hitting the ball well offensively. I think we're executing better defensively, pitching with confidence, and we've had timely hitting that is just infectious.”
Coming off Monday's 9-1 win over 12th-ranked Johns Hopkins University, the Falcons twice overcame deficits in Monday's game, scoring nine runs in the final four frames to match its highest single-game run output of the season. Most impressively, Messiah's relief corps combined to throw five and one-third outstanding innings on the mound, holding the TCNJ to just four hits and no runs.
Freshman Paul Broomell received the start for the Falcons, making just his second-ever collegiate start. The 6-foot-5 right-hander showed poise on the mound, keeping the Lions in check into the fourth inning.
“Paul pitched well for a freshman going against a top-flight national contender,” DeRiggs said. “He did a workmanlike job, he has good composure out there on the mound, and it was definitely a start that he can build off of for next time.”
Broomell gave way to the bullpen, and junior Zach Adams threw two and two-thirds scoreless innings, pitching through the sixth. Senior Josh Hershberger and junior Davin Okerblom finished the game, allowing just two hits and no runs between them.
“I was very pleased with our relief pitchers,” DeRiggs said. “They didn't give up a single run between them and I thought we had timely hitting, too, that helped us out.”
With the Falcons down 3-2, a bases-loaded triple by junior Wes Hollenbach with two outs in the seventh inning gave Messiah (12-11) a lead it would never again relinquish, leading to a five-run inning for the Falcons. An RBI double by junior Ryan Brown in the eighth and an RBI triple by senior Jordan Snader in the ninth iced the scoring for the day.
Adams (1-1) picked up the win in relief.
The Falcons' offense, which had scored four or fewer runs in 11 of its first 15 games, has now scored five or more in eight straight. Hollenbach, who singled, doubled, tripled and picked up four RBI on the day, put together his second straight three-hit game. Snader and Brubaker added two hits of their own. As a team, it was the second game in a row that every member of the starting lineup recorded a hit, with the team totaling 14 in all.
“I thought we had a great all-around day at the plate,” DeRiggs said. “Wes Hollenbach led the charge with a huge game, and when he's rolling like that, there's no one I would rather have up at the plate.”
Messiah has two days off before a weekend Commonwealth Conference series with Lebanon Valley College. The Falcons travel to Annville, Pa. for a 3:30 p.m. matchup on Friday before a home double-header on Saturday in the Harrisburg Senators' Metro Bank Park. Game time for the first of Saturday's contests is set for 12 p.m.
“This is a big series for us coming up,” DeRiggs said. “We're 6-0 in the conference, and we're excited for every day. We just have to stay focused and keep taking it one game at a time. Our goal is always just to win the next game.”
