Box Score
Elizabethtown, PA - Three weeks ago, no one outside of the 26 players and four coaches on the Messiah baseball team thought the Falcons had a shot at making the playoffs. Messiah (16-21, 9-7 CC) never quit though, winning seven consecutive conference games, including today's 10-5 win over Elizabethtown College (17-20, 9-7). Coupled with Alvernia's win over Widener University, the Falcons have now clinched their second playoff spot in as many years under interim head coach Steve DeRiggs.
“I give all the credit in the world to our young men,” DeRiggs said. “They stepped up, they overcame adversity, and they really battled hard. A lot of people left us for dead three weeks ago, and we've now won seven straight games in the conference.”
The Falcons were just 2-7 in the conference following disappointing series against both Alvernia and Alright; Messiah responded however by sweeping Widener and Arcadia in consecutive series to put the team back over .500 in the conference. Today's victory means the Falcons clinch at least the fourth seed in the 2012 league playoffs.
Messiah was locked into a pitching duel through six frames, with each team only able go muster a single run. Falcons starter
Jon Lapp (3-4) was masterful as he has been lately on the mound, going seven strong innings without allowing an earned run. Lapp allowed eight hits, walked just one, and struck out five in receiving the victory.
“The last four starts,
Jon Lapp has been outstanding,” DeRiggs said. “He's given us innings and he has certainly lived up to the laurels he received last year when he was named our Rookie of the Year. He has stepped up to the number one spot in the pitching rotation when we were really in need, and he's done everything we've needed of him.”
Messiah's offense was struggling until the seventh inning when the team broke through for two runs on a rally started by freshman
Derek Drake's double. Classmate
Zach Brubaker had a key hit, and junior
Matt Turman and senior
Sam Tajiri drove in the two runs for the frame to give Messiah a 3-1 lead.
In the top of the eighth inning, Messiah put the game away with seven runs on three hits, taking advantage of four errors from E-Town. Senior
Ryan Brown began the rally with a walk, and Messiah batted around in taking a commanding 10-1 lead into the ninth inning.
“We've been opportunistic at the plate and we've taken advantage of when we have been given extra outs,” DeRiggs said. “We are hitting well, running the bases well, and doing what we need to do on offense.”
The Falcons held on for a 10-5 lead, capping off another fine offensive performance from the potent Messiah offense. Turman led the outburst with three hits and two RBIs, and senior
Wes Hollenbach and Drake also contributed with two hits apiece. Brown scored two runs of his own as well.
Messiah returns home on Saturday to host the Blue Jays in the final conference series of the regular season in what will also be Senior Day for the Falcons. Game time for the first of the two contests is slated for 12:00 p.m.
