Box Score
By Cody Swartz, GoMessiah.com reporter
Reading, PA — This one will linger.
Messiah lost, 8-5, to Alvernia University in a crucial Commonwealth Conference game Thursday, virtually ending the Falcons' bid at the number one seed in the upcoming league playoffs. Messiah needed a win in this game to make the remaining two games of the series count in terms of playoff seeding.
As it stands now, Messiah (19-16, 12-4) has all but clinched the number two spot and will likely finish no higher or lower in the playoff race, regardless of what happens when the two teams meet Monday in a double-header to finish the last conference series of the regular-season.
“We outhit, played better defense, stole more, executed bunts well, but we just didn't win the game,” said Steve DeRiggs, Messiah head coach. “Too many walks hurt us. We played very well in all phases of the game, and could have easily won this game, but there were just too many walks.”
The Falcons' pitchers combined for eight walks in eight innings on the mound, a season-worst for a Messiah staff that generally has been very effective at keeping walks down.
The Falcons actually built a 4-0 lead through three innings against the 11th ranked Crusaders (26-4, 13-0), taking advantage of a strong offensive attack to formulate a commanding lead against a team that hadn't lost a conference game all season.
A run off of an error in the second inning put the Falcons on the board. Junior Ryan Brown hit an RBI double in the third inning and classmate Tory Arnesen followed with a two-run home run — his team-leading third homer of the season — putting Messiah up by four runs.
For the Falcons, senior Eric Spring started the game on the mound. Spring kept Alvernia in control for the first four innings, allowing just a single hit that led to an unearned run.
The Crusaders put together a four-run frame in the fifth inning, however, taking the lead on two hits, three walks and a hit by pitch. This put Alvernia up 5-4, although the lead wouldn't last against Messiah.
“Eric had good stuff for us, but he just missed a few spots,” DeRiggs said. “(Alvernia) bunched together some runs to make it a close game.”
Sophomore Paul Mellinger's RBI single in the top of the sixth inning tied the game right back up at five runs apiece, putting the Falcons back in good position to win the game.
Neither team scored in the seventh, but the host Crusaders struck with three runs in the eighth inning to take a commanding 8-5 lead — an advantage that would hold up for the remainder of the game.
Arnesen was the Falcons' leading performer at the plate, as the junior collected two hits, two runs scored, two RBI and a home run. Sophomore Drew Frankenfield and freshman Jon Lapp also had two hits, with Frankenfield adding two stolen bases.
“Tory is hitting the ball really well,” DeRiggs said. “He's been our leading hitter lately, and he's hitting for power and average. He's been an extremely pleasant surprise.”
Junior Josh Hershberger (1-1) was saddled with the pitching loss, coming on at the outset of the eighth inning. Junior Zach Adams came in for Spring in middle relief, tossing two innings and allowing just three hits and no walks, striking out three Crusader batters.
Following a three-day Easter break, the Falcons will host the Crusaders in a double-header at Messiah's Starry Field Monday. Game time for the first of two is set for 12 p.m.
