Lancaster, PA - Messiah College scored three runs across the eighth and ninth innings to take a late 4-3 lead, but they gave up single runs in the final two innings to lose to Franklin & Marshall in 10 innings, 5-4.
Quinton Kuntz started and went six innings, allowing nine hits and three earned runs. Messiah trailed 3-1 entering the eighth before
Derek Drake (double) and
Joseph Saufley (single) collected RBI hits to tie the game. The Falcons then took a lead in the ninth on a double by
John Griffitts, 4-3.
In the last half of the ninth the Diplomats rallied thanks to, in part, a catcher's interference and a hit by pitch, and then tied the game on a sac fly by Dan Marano. The Diplomats then earned the walk-off win with a sac fly to center field in the bottom of the 10th.
After the Falcons went down quietly in the top of the first, the Diplomats got on the board in the bottom. After a lead off single, Brett Poniros doubled to right field to score the first run. Later in the inning the Diplomats brought another run home thanks to a Messiah wild pitch.
The Diplomats added another run in the bottom of the third on an infield single to increase their lead to 3-0.
The Falcons countered with a single run in the top of the fifth when
Zach Brubaker grounded out to short and brought Collin Fry home.
As mentioned Kuntz kept the Falcons within striking distance pitching six innings before giving way to the Falcons bullpen.
Tyler Moody was first out of the 'pen, pitching a scoreless seventh.
Adam Marshall also pitched a scoreless eighth to give the Falcons a chase to comeback.
In the top of the eighth, Brubaker led off the inning with a double to right before coming home on a
Derek Drake double to left center.
Joseph Saufley then brought Drake home with a single up the middle that tied the game at 3-3.
After Marshall's scoreless eighth, Messiah would take the lead in the top of the ninth. Steve Nicolais singled to lead off the inning and was bunted over to second before
John Griffitts traded places with him on a double to left center and gave the Falcons a 4-3 lead.
The Falcons would not hold the lead for long, as the Diplomats would rally to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth. A catcher's interference allowed the lead off runner to get on, before a single and a hit by pitch loaded the bases with no outs. A sacrifice fly to right field tied the game, but Marshall struck out the next Diplomat looking and got the final out of the frame on a pop out to first base. Stranding two runners in scoring position.
In the tenth, Drake singled to lead off the inning for the Falcons, but three consecutive outs stranded him at first. In the bottom half of the frame, the Diplomats also got the lead off man on, by way of a walk. However, unlike the Falcons, the Diplomats were able to move him into scoring position as consecutive bunt singles loaded the bases. Luke Seib then delivered a game winning RBI on a sacrifice fly to center field and gave the Diplomats the 5-4 victory.
Derek Drake and
Joseph Saufley led the offense in the loss, each going 2-5 with an RBI. Drake also scored a run.
Messiah will next play on Friday afternoon when they travel to Stevenson to take on the Mustangs in a single game. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
