Harrisonburg, VA - Josh Good collected his first career four-hit game (4-5, 2B, 3 RBI) driving in three runs in the process as the Messiah baseball team defeated the Eastern Mennonite Royals 9-6 on Monday afternoon. Messiah scored three runs in the top of the first to take an early lead and every time the Royals closed the gap, the Falcons counted to pull ahead once again. Joining Good with multiple hits in the contest were Ben Sollenberger (3-6, 2B, RBI, 2R), Joseph Saufley (2-4, 2RBI, 2R), and Jon Mullin (2-4, RBI).

The Falcons jumped all over Cody Gibson and the Eastern Mennonite Royals with three runs in the top of the first. Ben Sollenberger doubled to lead off the game and came around to score on a Joseph Saufley single down the right-field line. Messiah would add runs on a Josh Good single and a Jon Mullin walk with the bases loaded to take a 3-0 lead.
 
In the bottom of the second the Royals got on the board with a pair of two-out RBIs to pull within one. Messiah countered in the top of the third with two runs of their own. Saufley led off the inning with a walk and scored on a fielding after Kyle Schoen sent a ball to centerfield. Schoen ended up on third after the error and came in to score on a single by Good that chased Eastern Mennonite's starter, Cody Gibson.
 
After a quiet third and fourth, Messiah's starter, Zach Luman got himself into a jam in the bottom of the fifth. With two outs, the Royals collected back-to-back singles before an error loaded the bases. Luman put an end to the threat with a strikeout, leaving the bases loaded.
 
After escaping the jam in the bottom of the fifth, the Falcons added two runs to their lead. With one out Austin Mellinger walked and Sollenberger singled down the left field line to put runners on the corners. After a pitching change, the Falcons executed a squeeze play when Adam Janney bunted down the third baseline. Janney was out at first but the runners advanced, scoring Mellinger from third. With two outs and a runner on second Saufley connected with a single to center to give Messiah a 7-2 lead heading to the bottom of the sixth.
 
John Griffitts replaced Luman on the bump to begin the sixth inning. Griffitts struggled with some control issues, walking the first two batters he faced. The Royals made those walks pay when Adam Marston doubled to right center scoring both of the walks. Later in the inning a fielder's choice brought home another run, but Griffitts got the next two batters to ground into a fielder's choice and fly out to right to end the inning.
 
With the Messiah lead cut to 7-5, the Falcons looked for insurance in the top of the seventh. A lead off double by Josh Good put the Falcons in a great position but two strikeouts and a caught stealing ended the inning without Messiah adding to their lead.
 
After a quick bottom of the seventh, the Falcons added a run in the top of the eighth when Sollenberger singled to bring home Andrew Eyster, who singled to right to lead off the inning.
 
In the bottom of the eighth, the Royals used two Messiah errors to bring home their sixth run of the afternoon and close the gap to 8-6.
 
Messiah grabbed an insurance run in the top of the ninth when Good singled down the left field line for his fourth hit of the game. Good's knock drove home pinch runner Dan Wiederrecht and gave Messiah a 9-6 lead.
 
With a three-run lead, Griffitts pitched a scoreless ninth for the seldom seen four-inning save, his first of the season, giving Messiah their second win of the season. With the save, Griffitts ties the all-time career saves record in Messiah College history with six – he tied the single season record a year ago with five in 2015.
 
As mentioned Josh Good led the Falcons at the dish. Prior to his four-hit effort today, Good had only collected four multi-hit games in his career.
 
On the mound, Zach Luman picked up his second win of the season, pitching five innings allowing two runs (both earned) on eight hits and one walk.
 
Messiah will next take the field tomorrow afternoon when they travel to Dickinson College, game time is set for 3:00 p.m.