Fredericksburg, VA – The Messiah baseball team dropped both ends of a double header to the University of Mary Washington. Messiah lost the front end of the double header, 11-3, and then dropped the backend of the double dip by a 3-1 score. In Game One of the doubleheader the Eagles used a six-run sixth inning to pull away from the Falcons. In the Second Game, the Falcons attempted to comeback from a three-run deficit in the final inning, loading the bases with one-out but could only push one run across and fell 3-1.
 
In the first game, the Eagles scored a single run in both the first and second inning to take a 2-0 lead over Messiah. Mary Washington scored on an RBI single in the bottom of the first and an RBI double in the second. The damage by the Eagles could have been worse, but Mary Washington stranded runners in scoring positions in both innings (including runners on second and third in the first).
 
In the third, Andrew Eyster walked with one out and later scored on an error by the shortstop. Despite looking for their first hit of the afternoon, Messiah had closed the gap to 2-1. In the bottom of the third, Messiah kept the Eagles off the board for the only time in game one.
 
After keeping the deficit at 2-1, Messiah tied the game in the top of the fourth. After reaching on an error and stealing second, Jon Mullin moved to third on a single by Josh Good to right field. With runners on the corner, Benjamin Sollenbenger grounded out to third and brought home Mullin.
 
The Eagles quickly responded by scoring three runs between the fourth and fifth innings to take a 5-2 lead. Messiah answered with a run in the sixth on a Kyle Wickenheiser single to centerfield. Joseph Saufley led off the inning with a single and later came around to score on Wickenheiser's two-out single.
 
At the start of the sixth Messiah's starter, Steven Ridings was removed. Ridings battled through his five innings, limiting he damage to five runs on 10 hits while striking out four. The Eagles took advantage of Messiah's bullpen, scoring six runs on five hits and two errors in the sixth inning to take an 11-3 lead. Messiah went down quietly in the seventh and the Falcons dropped game one 11-3.
 
In game two, the Eagles struck first with two runs in the bottom of the third. After a leadoff walk, James Keller homered to left center to put Mary Washington on the board and give the Eagles a 2-0 lead. In the top of the fourth, Joseph Saufley and Kyle Schoen collected back-to-back singles with two outs, but a fielder's choice ended the inning and Messiah's best chance to score until the seventh.
 
In the bottom of the fourth the Eagles tacked on another run when a two-out single drove home a leadoff double and gave Mary Washington a 3-0 lead.
 
The score remained 3-0 until the top of the seventh when the Falcons rallied for their first run of the contest. Saufley led off the inning with a single to centerfield before Schoen walked to put runners on first and second with no outs. Josh Good doubled to left center to drive home Saufley and put the tying run on second base with no outs. After a strike out, Benjamin Sollenberger was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one away. Unfortunately for the Falcons, the next batter grounded into a double play, ending the comeback and the game.
 
Thanks to two hits in the seventh, Messiah outhit the Eagles in the second game 5-4 but the two-run homer in the third proved to be the difference as the Falcons dropped the game 3-1.
 
Josh Good (2-6, 2B, RBI) and Joseph Saufley (2-6, 2 runs) were the lone Falcons with multiple hits in the doubleheader.
 
With the two losses on Saturday, the Falcons fall to 1-3 on the young season, while the Eagles improve to a perfect 7-0.
 
Messiah will next take the field on Monday when they travel to Eastern Mennonite University.