Grantham, PA - The Messiah Falcons swept a twin bill against the visiting Lebanon Valley Dutchmen by scores of 7-4 and 3-2. The Falcons used timely hitting and strong pitching performances to earn two much needed Conference victories.
 
Game One
The Messiah Falcons won Game One on Monday afternoon by a score of 7-4 over the Lebanon Valley Dutchmen. Joseph Saufley and Ben Sollenberger led the Falcons with two RBI each.
 
The Falcons scored four times in the bottom of the fifth and collected six extra base hits in the game. Saufley hit a solo homer in the third and an RBI triple in the four-run fifth.
 
After a scoreless first inning for both the Falcons and Dutchmen, the two teams traded single runs in the second, third, and fourth. The Falcons collected runs on a Ben Sollenberger single, a Joseph Saufley solo home run and a Sollenberger groundout.
 
In the fifth inning the Dutchmen took a 4-3 lead on a sacrifice fly before the Falcons exploded for four runs on five hits in the bottom half of the frame. Adam Janney led off the inning with a double down the right field line. Drake traded places with Janney, as he smoked the first pitch he saw down the left field line to tie the game. Saufley then tripled to the right field corner scoring Drake before Kyle Schoen brought Saufley home with a single through the left side. With the bases loaded and no one out, the Falcons hit into a double play scoring the final run of the frame.
 
After the dust settled, the Falcons led 7-4 heading to the sixth inning. John Griffitts relieved Tyler Moody and pitched the final two frames earning the save.
 
Zach Luman started the game for the Falcons, but lasted just three innings before Moody took over. Moody pitched two frames allowing one hit and one earned run (2 total runs) and earned the win.
 
Game Two
In Game Two the Falcons used three consecutive two-out hits to score three runs in the bottom of the third. RBI singles by Derek Drake, Joseph Saufley, and Kyle Schoen gave the Falcons a 3-0 advantage. The Dutchmen fought back, scoring two runs in the fifth, but it wasn't enough as the Falcons held on for the 3-2 victory.
 
David Nicolais was the story early in Game Two, he held the Dutchmen hitless through the first 4 2/3 innings. In total, Nicolais pithced five innings of two hit baseball. He allowed two hits and two runs (one earned) while striking out two and earning his second win of the season. Steven Ridings earned the save – his first of the year – by pitching two scoreless frames.
 
While Nicolais was holding the Dutchmen bats in check the Falcons struck first, scoring three runs in the bottom of the third. With one out Sollenberger singled through the left side. After a Zach Brubaker bunt single, the Falcons had runners at first and second with one out.
 
A fielder's choice cut Sollenberger down at third, but Derek Drake came up with the first of three consecutive two-out RBI singles as he singled through the left side. Saufley then singled up the middle to score Janney and Kyle Schoen followed with a single to right that scored Drake.
 
The 3-0 lead was all that the Falcons would need. The Dutchmen rallied with two outs in the fifth, pushing across two runs on two hits and walk but Nicolais struck out the final batter of the inning, stranding a runner on third.
 
In the top of the seventh, Steve Ridings collected the first two outs of the innings with relative ease but a Falcon error put the tying run on second. Ridings then walked the next batter putting runners on first and second, but a ground ball to second base ended the threat and completed the Falcons' sweep of the twin bill.
 
On the day, Joseph Saufley was just a double short of the cycle, finishing with a batting line of 3-6 with a home run, a triple, three RBI, and two runs scored.

Tomorrow's game against York has been cancelled because the Spartans need to make up a conference game, as a result the Falcons will next take the field on Wednesday afternoon when the Dickinson Red Devils travel to Gratham. First pitch is set for 3:30 p.m.