Annville, PA - Lebanon Valley scored single runs in each the seventh and eighth innings to rally from a 2-1 deficit and win 3-2 over visiting Messiah. Devin Dellinger collected the game-winning RBI in the eighth inning with a single to leftfield.
Steven Ridings took the hard-luck loss after completing seven innings and allowing just two earned runs. Ridings was more wild than usual, though, as he gave up five walks and seven hits against just three strikeouts.
Derek Drake (2-4) and
Adam Janney (3-4) had multi-hit games for Messiah while Janney and
Joseph Saufley each registered an RBI.
In the first inning the Falcons got off to a quick start. With one out
Derek Drake singled to left center before
Joseph Saufley tripled to right center to bring him home. After three batters the Falcons were on the board. Unfortunetly for Messiah, a strikeout and a ground out ended the inning and left Saufley stranded on third.
In the bottom of the frame the Dutchmen got the run right back and tied the game at one. A walk and a pair of infield singles loaded the bases with one out before a fielder's choice allowed the runner from third to score and tie the game. Ridings struck out the final batter of the inning ending the threat.
In the top of the fourth the Falcons would take the lead back when
Adam Janney doubled home
Jon Heisey with two outs. Heisey had reached earlier in the inning on an error by the second baseman.
Ridings allowed four baserunners in the fourth, fifth, and sixth combined but no Dutchmen crossed the plate. In the bottom of the seventh he hit a bit of a speed bump. With one out, a Falcons' error and a single put runners on first and second. An infield pop-up recorded the second out, but the next Dutchmen hitter doubled to right and scored the runner from second. Just like the first inning, Ridings recorded the final out of the frame on a strikeout, stranding two runners on the bases. While the run was unearned it tied the game at two.
Drake led off the eighth with a double to left center but the Falcons couldn't bring him around as two strikeouts and a ground out ended the frame.
In the home half of the eighth Ridings returned to the mound, but after walking the leadoff man he was removed for
Tyler Moody. The baseball saying, 'leadoff walks always score' held true in the eighth, as a sacrifice bunt moved the runner to second before a single to left field brought him home and gave the Dutchmen a 3-2 advantage.
Hot-hitting
Adam Janney led off the ninth with a triple to center field. With no outs and Janney just 90 feet away the Falcons could only muster a pair of ground balls before a strikeout ended the game with Janney stranded on third. The Dutchmen took game one of the three-game series by a final score of 3-2.
In the last five games,
Adam Janney is 10-17 with five runs scored, four RBI, and six extra-base hits. In that span, Janney has brought his average up .157 points, from an even .200 to .357.
The loss dropped Messiah to 6-10 overall, including 4-6 in the Commonwealth Conference. The Falcons and Dutchmen will play each other again on Monday, Apr. 6 on the Falcons' home field. First pitch of the scheduled double-header will be 12:00 noon.
