Box Score
by Cody Swartz, GoMessiah.com reporter
Newport News, VA - Most of the teams to qualify for the NCAA regional playoffs had at least 30 wins and were ranked nationally. The Messiah Falcons were just 19-23 and seemingly overmatched against the No. 1 seeded Christopher Newport Captains (30-7), a team ranked sixth in the nation and one that hadn't lost on its home field all season.
Apparently, none of that really mattered to the Falcons.
Behind an absolutely sensational pitching performance from sophomore
Jon Lapp, Messiah (20-23) came away with a 3-1 victory, advancing to the winners' bracket of the NCAA Regionals tournament. Messiah became the first sub-.500 team ever to win a regional playoff game, taking advantage of a three-run third inning to score its lone runs for the contest.
Meanwhile, Lapp – who has stepped into the role as the team's ace – was nothing short of marvelous. The Commonwealth Rookie of the Year last year, Lapp allowed just three hits and an unearned run in another complete game effort. He didn't walk a batter and struck out three. In short, it was the kind of outing the team has come to expect from him.
“Lapp has had an exceptional four-week stretch,” Messiah head coach Steve DeRiggs said. “He has been given the ball and he has not faltered one iota. He has been tremendous against excellent teams. He has wanted the ball, he's a competitor, and he responded exceedingly well.”
Lapp (5-4) has been arguably the team's most valuable player down the stretch. In his last five games, he is 5-0 with a 0.46 ERA. He has pitched 36 innings in a row without allowing an earned run. He has thrown 19 career playoff innings without giving up an earned run. He's even hitting .310 at the plate. And he's a major reason the Falcons have won an opening regional playoff game for just the second time ever.
“We've been in playoff mode now for five weeks,” DeRiggs said. “We were 13 games under at one point and we just haven't relaxed. We've caught fire, we've started to execute and we are playing better defense. The pitching – led by (
Jon Lapp) – has been excellent. It was very satisfying to see where we have come this season, from a 6-19 record to winning a regional playoff game with the best teams in the south. It was satisfying to see the team come together, seeing the senior leadership we have had recently and how the guys have worked together as one.”
The game started a pitcher's duel, with CNU's Greg Goldsmith and Lapp matching each other pitch for pitch. Messiah broke through in the third inning, beginning with freshman
Zach Brubaker's double down the left field line. Junior
Matt Turman beat out what was supposed to be a sacrifice bunt, putting runners on the corners, and senior
Sam Tajiri, the Commonwealth Conference tournament MVP, reached on an infield single that plated
Zach Brubaker with the game's first run.
Junior
Paul Mellinger advanced the runners to second and third with a sacrifice bunt, and senior
Ryan Brown drove a line drive sacrifice fly to right center field that scored Turman. Classmate
Wes Hollenbach followed with a clutch, two-out single to give Messiah a 3-0 lead that would prove to be all the Falcons' scoring in the contest.
Lapp continued to mow down the Captains, going from the first inning until two outs in the sixth without allowing a hit. He was in command of his pitches for the entire game, forcing 13 ground ball outs. No Captains' runner so much as reached third base against Lapp until the eighth inning, when CNU pushed across an unearned run on a single, steal, and an error.
Lapp retired the side in order in the ninth to complete the gem, doing so on a groundout and a pair of fly balls.
Offensively, the Falcons were limited, collecting just five hits themselves and none past the third inning, ending the game on an 0-for-21 streak. Fortunately, the Falcons got their runs when they did, getting three hits with men in scoring position in the third frame and holding the lead for the duration of the game.
“We're going to have to score more runs,” DeRiggs said. “We can't expect to shut people down and throw almost shutouts against quality teams again and again. We have to take advantage of our opportunities, not leave men on base, and finish innings better.”
In all, it was a remarkable performance by a Messiah team that continues to win games against superior opponents. The Falcons have now captured four straight playoff wins, cruising through the '12 conference tournament and handling the Captains in the first regional game.
Messiah plays its next regional contest tomorrow at 1:00 p.m., taking on the loser of the game between Shenandoah University and Rowan University. The Falcons took Shenandoah to extra innings earlier in the season, while Messiah has not played Rowan University since 2010.
“We're not sneaking up on anyone anymore,” DeRiggs said. “They're aware of how our young men have played over the past five weeks, and we are going to just have to keep it up. All five of the other teams are superior. They're all ranked. We have to bring our A game and we have little room for error. It's going to come down to execution, and our young men are ready and they're a good, close-knit unit. We will give the best effort and we're excited for the opportunity.”
