Box Score
By Cody Swartz, GoMessiah.com reporter
Chester, PA — In Commonwealth Conference action that bore strong playoff implications for both teams, Messiah took the first of a three-game series with Widener University Thursday, winning 3-1. The Falcons (15-13, 9-1) utilized a strong pitching performance from freshman Jon Lapp to beat a Widener team that ended Messiah's playoff chances last season.
The win was Messiah's 11th in the last 13 games, and put the Falcons two games up over Widener (19-7, 7-3) in the conference standings. Messiah currently trails only Alvernia University (6-0 in conference games) in the race.
“We're pretty ecstatic about this win,” said Steve DeRiggs, Messiah head coach. “(Widener) is a solid, hard-hitting team. There's a lot of history between these two teams, and it was very electric, almost like a playoff atmosphere. I am very proud of our young men.”
Lapp (3-1) got the start for the Falcons, just his fourth collegiate start and first in conference play. The freshman was his usual dependable self, pitching into the seventh inning while allowing just one run, while picking up the win. Lapp held the Pride to just two hits in 14 at-bats (.143) with runners on base.
“Lapp was outstanding,” DeRiggs said. “He was very effective, kept the hitters off-balance, and he fields his position very well. It was an outstanding performance for a freshman to pitch in that type of game.”
Junior Zach Adams took over in relief, pitching a scoreless eighth and into the ninth before giving away to senior Josh Hershberger. Hershberger inherited a two-on, no-out situation and efficiently retired three straight Widener hitters to help the Falcons come away with the win. It was the first save of the season for Hershberger (1) and just the third overall for the Falcons.
“The (relief pitchers) were very important for us,” DeRiggs said. “We're going to need them. Zach and Hersh did a fine job, and it was gratifying to watch them pitch. That's three straight games now that our relief pitchers have done a good job for us.”
The Falcons' offense scored just three runs on the day, but it was enough thanks to the impressive performance from the team's pitchers. Senior Sean Hart scored the first run back in the third inning, when he walked and scored on an error off a ball hit by junior John Brubaker. Brubaker scored in the fifth, when he doubled and advanced on singles by juniors Wes Hollenbach and Ryan Brown.
Sophomore Paul Mellinger completed the scoring for the day in the seventh inning, when he doubled and scored on Hollenbach's single.
The Falcons had chances to score in the eighth inning and the ninth, but couldn't convert, leaving a one-out runner at third in the eighth and runners at both second and third base in the ninth. For the day, the Falcons left eight men on base and batted just .214 (3-14) with runners in scoring position.
“Wes and Mellinger did the bulk of the offense for us,” DeRiggs said. “We had a lot of opportunities to score and didn't plate the runners. That made it interesting, because we didn't always get it done at the plate.”
Fortunately for the team, Adams and Hershberger were able to close the game out.
Thursday's game was moved from an originally-scheduled Friday date, due to persistent rains forecast for the area. The Falcons and Pride will now take a day off before finishing the league series Saturday, as Messiah will host Widener in a double-header at Starry Field. Game time for the first of two is set for 12 p.m.
“It starts with the pitching in this series,” DeRiggs said. “We're throwing (junior) Tory Arnesen, who pitched very well against Widener last year, and (senior) Travis Thome is pitching the second game. They're a very potent offensive team and hopefully our offense will score some runs to make it a good game.”
