Box Score
by Zach Specht, GoMessiah.com reporter
Grantham, PA- On a bitter cold afternoon at Starry field, the Falcons and Blue Jays provided enough sparks to heat the first matchup of the season between the rivals.
Messiah would get to work right away as the Falcons tallied two runs in the first inning. After a
Jacob Sprengle double,
Casey Ebersole connected on an RBI single to score Sprengle and give the Falcons an early 1-0 lead.
Jon Lapp would add to the Falcons' lead with a sacrifice fly to left field, which scored Ebersole and gave Messiah a 2-0 advantage.
The Falcons would see their early lead evaporate as the Blue Jays scored runs in the fourth, fifth, and sixth inning to take a 4-2 lead.
Down by two and heading into the latter stages of the ball game, the Falcons' offense was poised to prevail.
Matt Turman sparked the rally for the Falcons as he was Messiah's first base runner of the inning, reaching via a double to right field. Sprengle would then drive Turman home with an RBI single. Lapp would draw a walk and load the bases for the Falcons.
Derek Drake would then step up to the plate and drill a single into right field that was just over the outstretched glove of the second baseman for the RBI single.
With the Falcons continuing to overwhelm the Blue Jays in waves,
Paul Mellinger was next for Messiah. Mellinger hit a sacrifice fly to center field allowing Sprengle to score and enabling the Falcons to repossess the lead.
Ben Sollenberger followed suit for the Falcons as the freshmen from Florida connected on an RBI single to left field.
The Falcons had a consistent supply of base runners in the seventh inning, and
David Sletta would be opportunistic with his appearance at the plate. Sletta would single to left field and score Drake while adding to Messiah's lead.
In his second plate appearance of the inning, Turman would be asked to bolster Messiah's lead instead of sparking a rally. Turman was able to aide the Falcons' lead as he drove Heisey home with an RBI single to left field.
The Falcons sent 12 batters to the plate and managed to score six runs on six hits in the home half of the seventh to reestablish the lead and move into the driver's seat with an 8-4 lead over Elizabethtown.
In the eighth inning, the Falcons would gain some help from Jays' pitcher Jay Singer. The Falcons would load the bases against Singer where
Jon Heisey would draw the walk and put Messiah ahead 9-4.
The Blue Jays would string together a pair of runs in the top of the ninth, however it was not enough to match Messiah's rally as the Falcons ousted the Blue Jays 9-6.
Steven Ridings led the Falcons from the mound with a seven-inning outing where he allowed four runs on only six hits while striking out six batters.
Turman registered three hits for Falcons, who outhit the Jays 13-9 on the afternoon. Sprengle had two hits and two runs scored, while Drake and Sollenberger also finished with two hits. All nine of Messiah's RBIs were produced by different players.
The win for Messiah moves them to 9-17 on the season, including 6-6 in the Commonwealth Conference. The teams will meet for double-header action tomorrow at Elizabethtown College where the first pitch is slated for 12:00 p.m.
BB: Big 7th Puts Falcons Past Blue Jays Gallery
