Game 1 Box Score - Game 2 Box Score
By Cody Swartz, GoMessiah.com reporter
Elizabethtown, PA — There were no walk-off home runs, heroic comebacks, or wild celebrations in Monday's double-header against Elizabethtown College Monday, like in Messiah's 7-6 comeback win against the Blue Jays Friday.
The Falcons (18-15, 12-3) did, however, utilize a tremendous all-around day by junior Tory Arnesen to take Game One of the double-header by a 6-3 score. E'Town came back to win the nightcap, 2-1, in a game that was as close as the score
indicated, but the Falcons' split on the day and fifth series win in five conference series assured that Messiah will finish as one of the top two teams in the Commonwealth Conference final standings.
“I'm pleased with our young men,” said Steve DeRiggs, Messiah head coach. “To win 14 out of 18 at this time of the year is incredible. I am very satisfied with five series wins in five conference series.”
Arnesen (5-2) threw a complete game in his start in Game One, and also went 3-3 with a home run at the plate as the team's designated hitter. Arnesen is leading the team in batting average (.333) and just a shade behind the team leader in earned run average (1.66).
The Princeton, New Jersey native worked out of two tough jams late in his start, turning a big double play in the sixth inning and then escaping a bases-loaded situation later in the frame.
“Tory had a very workmanlike performance on the mound,” DeRiggs said. “He gave us a good effort and was a good competitor. He's won a bunch of games for us this year and had an excellent overall day for us. He put us in a good position to win the series.”
Arnesen helped his own cause when he homered in the second inning for the first scoring of the day. Junior Ryan Brown, sophomore Drew Frankenfield and junior John Brubaker added RBIs in the middle innings to give the Falcons a 4-0 lead in the fifth.
Brown led off the sixth inning with his second home run in as many games to put Messiah up 5-1. Senior Sean Hart's RBI single topped off the scoring for the day and the Falcons withstood a late Blue Jays' rally to take the game, 6-3.
In the nightcap, freshman Jon Lapp threw his usual strong outing, holding the Jays to just two total runs — only one earned — while going the distance for his first complete game of his collegiate career. Lapp worked his way out of several jams as well, including a big bases-loaded scenario late in the game. In all, the Blue Jays' hitters went 0-7 against Lapp with men in scoring position.
“Jon Lapp is an unusual freshman,” DeRiggs said. “He's extremely composed out there on the mound, he has a plan of attack and he has a smooth delivery. He's going to have a huge impact on this program.”
Unfortunately for Lapp (3-2), he didn't get more than a single run of support from his offense, as the Falcons managed just four hits in the game, giving Lapp the pitching loss.
Sophomore Paul Mellinger drove in classmate Matt Turman — who pinch-ran for Arnesen following a single — with an RBI triple in the sixth inning. The hit, like so many of the Falcons' big plays this year, came with two outs, but it wasn't enough to overcome the deficit.
“We hit the ball very hard that game, but we just didn't find the holes,” DeRiggs said. “It was a little bit of a letdown after winning the series. We just didn't have a lot of enthusiasm in that second game.”
The Falcons played well defensively, committing just a single error combined in the two games, but it was a late throwing error that cost Messiah in Game Two.
For the day, Arnesen led the way offensively, totaling four hits, including a home run. Brubaker, junior Wes Hollenbach and Hart each had multiple hits as well.
Messiah is next slated to play at Susquehanna University in a non-conference game Wednesday, with game time slated for 4 p.m. Following that is a pivotal conference series with the 16th-ranked Alvernia University (25-3, 12-0). The two teams play at Alvernia on Thursday followed by a double-header on Messiah's Starry Field on Monday at 12 p.m.
The Falcons, who have officially clinched the number two seed in the upcoming Commonwealth Conference Tournament, can still clinch the number one overall conference seed with a three-game sweep of the Crusaders.
“We were picked to be fourth out of seven teams in a pre-season poll,” DeRiggs said. “I'm very happy with where we're at right now. We're going to need our A-game to beat Alvernia.”
