XML Box Score Grantham, PA - Immaculata used a five-run second inning to steal momentum from Messiah as they won 12-8 on Tuesday afternoon. The Mighty Macs added two homeruns later in the game to push their lead to as much as 9-4 before trading runs in the final innings.
The Falcons took a 3-0 lead after the first inning but could not hold Immaculata back. The loss dropped the Falcons to 10-9 overall. Immaculata improved to an even 9-9.
Messiah's day started off strong as
Derek Drake and
Casey Ebersole stole second and third, respectively, for a 1-0.
Jacob Sprengle followed with a double to right field that hit off the top of the wall to make it 2-0 and then
Jordan Seltzer hit a sac fly for a 2-0 lead.
The early momentum was stolen immediately, however, as Immaculata put together a five-run inning. Four-straight batters reached base to make it 3-2. A groundout tied the game before a two-run single soon put the Mighty Macs up 5-3.
In the bottom of the third inning Ebersole scored on a passed ball to bring Messiah within 5-4, but that is as close as they would get.
Adam Marshall continued in his start to allow two homeruns—a solo shot to left in the fourth and a two-run shot to left in the fifth— to break the game open.
Mitch McClure came on but could not stop the damage as Immaculata took a 9-4 lead into the fifth.
Despite the deficit, Messiah continued to swing the bats well. Sprengle added an RBI single in the sixth and then scored a run himself on a wild pitch. But Immaculata scored twice more in the seventh en route to the 12-8 win.
Sprengle finished 3-4 with three RBI and
Zach Brubaker and Ebersole each added two hits. Marshall took the loss and fell to 1-3.
Messiah will look to rebound on Wednesday when they host Lebanon Valley in the final game of their three-game set with the Dutchmen; the Falcons took both games—both in extra innings—in Saturday's double-header in Annville. First pitch on Wednesday is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
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