Fort Pierce, FL - After splitting yesterday's double-header, the Messiah Falcons took Tuesday's rubber match over the Albright Lions by a final score of 9-5. With the series win the Falcons open Commonwealth Conference play with a 2-1 record.

After allowing a run in the first inning, Falcons' starter Zach Luman settled down scattering eight hits across six innings. The Falcons tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the second on a John Griffitts single before taking their first lead in the fourth.

In the fourth, Josh Good led off the inning with a double down the left field line. Derek Drake then made the hustle play of the game stretching a routine RBI single to the centerfielder into a double. With Drake on second, Adam Janney moved him to third with a single. After a Janney stole base, Griffitts delivered a two-RBI double to the gap. A Zach Brubaker single to right-center scored another run and by the end of the inning the Falcons held a 5-1 lead.

After the Lions used a four-run seventh inning to pull within one, Messiah used a three-run eighth inning to add insurance and pull ahead for good. Jon Heisey ripped a triple to the left-centerfield gap and Adam Janney brought him home with a sac fly. Then John Griffitts (single) and Jon Mullin (double) collected RBIs to cap off the inning and Messiah's scoring.

On the mound the Falcons pitchers scattered 14 hits while allowing just five runs. Zach Luman started for Messiah and collected the win after six strong innings. Luman worked out of a few jams, including a bases loaded, no out situation in the sixth. After allowing three straight singles to start the inning and load the bases, Luman picked off a runner at first. He then walked the Lions' cleanup hitter to reload the bases and educed consecutive pop-ups to end the inning without allowing any damage.

In the win, David Nicolais collected his first career save, working two innings and facing the minimum number of Lions. Nicolais allowed a one-out single in the ninth before forcing the Lions to hit into a 4-6-3 double play to end the game.

The Falcons had a number of strong performances at the plate and on the bases. The bottom third of the Falcons' order - consisting Jon Heisey, Zach Brubaker, and John Griffitts - went a combined 6-10 with six RBIs, six runs scored, and three stolen bases. In addition to his strong performance at the plate, Brubaker made the web gem of the game with a diving play to his left to snag a line drive and save a run in the fifth.

Behind the plate catcher Jon Mullin threw out two runners at second base in the second and third innings to control the Lions' running game. Mullin also went 2-5 at the plate while collecting two RBIs.

As mentioned the win improves the Falcons to 2-1 in the Commonwealth Conference and 2-3 overall. Messiah will next be in action on Thursday when they face Saint Mary's of Maryland; game time is set for 10:00 a.m. in Fort Pierce, Fla.