Box Score Game 1 -
Box Score Game 2
The Messiah Falcons (14-20, 8-7) completed a conference sweep of the Arcadia Knights (15-19, 5-9) with 8-2 and 12-11 victories in Saturday's doubleheader. Messiah utilized a strong performance on the mound from senior
Zach Adams in the first game and won the second contest on what literally was a walk-off, as sophomore
Jacob Sprengle drove in the game-winning run with a bases-loaded free pass.
With the wins, Messiah has now won six consecutive games in the Commonwealth Conference, putting the Falcons in position to control their own fate for the second seed in the playoffs. That's a pretty impressive achievement for a Messiah team that was seemingly left for dead following the Alvernia and Albright series.
“This was an especially satisfying series win because we had to use so many pitchers,” Messiah head coach Steve DeRiggs said. “We were really depleted in terms of the arms but we still found a way to sweep two (series) in a row, and it's always gratifying to see that.”
The offense, which has been the team's strength for the majority of the season, spotted Adams with a first-inning run in game one before responding with seven total runs from the fourth through sixth frames.
Meanwhile, Adams was outstanding, pitching five strong innings in just his second career collegiate start. The team's top relief pitcher was needed as a starter, and allowed just three hits and two walks in five frames on the hill. He gave up a lone run and picked up the victory for the game.
Adams turned the game over to junior
Galen Halteman, who pitched two innings without allowing an earned run.
Senior
Wes Hollenbach fueled the offense with a 3-for-3 performance at the plate, scoring twice and driving in three runs. Sophomores
Jon Lapp and Sprengle each drove in two runs and freshman
Derek Drake reached base twice and scored both times.
Game 2:
The Falcons battled Arcadia in arguably its closest conference game yet, sweating it out until the final pitch of the game.
The Knights jumped out to a 2-0 lead before the Falcons tied it in the bottom of the first on singles by junior
Paul Mellinger and Hollenbach. Arcadia took a 4-2 lead with runs in the top of the third and fourth off Messiah starter
Paul Broomell before the Falcons knotted it back at four runs apiece in the home half of the frame.
The back-and-forth game continued as Messiah scored three in the bottom of the fourth, Arcadia tied it up in the top of the fifth, and the Falcons jumped to an 11-7 lead through five innings. With rain threatening, it appeared as if Messiah's lead was safe.
A late Knights rally tied the game, as Arcadia scored four times with two outs in the top half of the last inning, making it an 11-all contest heading to the bottom of the seventh inning.
Senior
John Brubaker led off the home half of the seventh inning with a hit by pitch, and Brown followed with one of his own to put two men on. Mellinger sacrificed the runners into scoring position and Hollenbach was intentionally walked to load the bases. Drake popped out to make it a two-out, bases-loaded situation for Sprengle, but the team's RBI leader came through: Sprengle drew a five-pitch walk to force in Brubaker from third base and thus sweep the conference series against the Knights.
Adams (2-2) got the win in the contest, giving the senior an unprecedented two victories in one day.
“I scouted Zach four years ago in Maryland,” DeRiggs said. “You can't tell heart when you're scouting someone, but he's got it. He's been injured and he's played through it. He got the win in game one and then asked to come back in game two. It takes a good young man to think about the team like that, and he's been a positive force for us. He's just got a winning attitude, he's a team-oriented player, and he's a very special young man. It's been a pleasure to coach him.”
Hollenbach led the team with an amazing day at the plate: The senior captain went 6-for-6 with three doubles, three runs scored, five RBIs, two walks, and a hit by pitch, remarkably reaching base in all nine plate appearances. At a .385 clip, Hollenbach leads the team in batting average, and the multi-position athlete also ranks second on the team in ERA.
“Wes has been the MVP of the team this year,” DeRiggs said. “He's missed a number of games with some injuries but he's come through when we've needed him. He's gotten key RBIs, he's made tough catches, and he's really been a cheerleader when he's been hurt. As a captain, it's not easy to sit on the bench not being able to play, but he's done a terrific job of still helping out, and he's just been a tremendous inspiration to everyone.”
Other notable offensive starts included Brubaker (four runs scored on the day), Mellinger (three hits, four runs, four RBIs), Drake (two hits, four walks), Sprengle (three RBIs), and Lapp (two hits, two RBIs).
“We're a better offensive group when we can hit one through nine,” DeRiggs said. “The last two weeks, there has been no soft spot in the lineup. The early, middle, and end of it have all produced with hits, runs, and stolen bases. We're much more of a threat with no automatic outs.”
Messiah plays contests against Catholic University and McDaniel College next Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively, before the season-ending conference series against the Elizabethtown Blue Jays next weekend.
