XML Box Score York, PA – Early runs, late runs, and a dominant pitching performance—all the things a team wants to start off a championship run. On Friday, the Falcons received all three and defeated Alvernia University 8-2 in their first game of the Commonwealth Championships Tournament.
Steven Ridings was strong from start to finish for Messiah, completing all nine innings and recording a career-high 12 strikeouts. The Crusaders managed just six hits and Zach Nadolny's two-run single in the third scored their only runs. Meanwhile the Falcons scored runs in four different innings including a four-run second.
With the win No. 3 Messiah advanced to Friday's match-up with No. 1 Widener University at 3:00 p.m. The Pride defeated No. 4 Lebanon Valley 5-2 on Friday afternoon.
On Friday the Falcons didn't have to wait long for their first run, as
Joseph Saufley brought home
Zach Brubaker with a double before an out was recorded in the top of the first. After Ridings struck out the side in the bottom of the frame, Messiah scored four times in the second to take a 5-0 lead.
With one out in the second
Casey Ebersole and
David Sletta started the rally with a back-to-back singles. After the strikeout,
Jon Lapp ripped a triple down the right field line to score them both. Brubaker then walked to set up a double-steal of second and home to give Messiah a 4-0 advantage.
Saufley then laced his second double in as many at-bats to give Ridings more runs than he needed.
In the fifth inning Ebersole lined a two-out single on a 3-2 pitch to score Sollenberger from second base, pushing Messiah's lead to 6-2. He finished 3-4 on the night to lead 10 Messiah hits.
Messiah added single runs in the seventh (
Jacob Sprengle fielder's choice groudout) and eighth (Brubaker double), but the result was long in hand thanks to Ridings' performance. With the win he improved to 4-3.
As mentioned, the Falcons will play Widener University at 3:00 on Friday. Messiah will look to avenge a three game sweep at the hands of the Pride last weekend.
