Allentown, PA - The Messiah baseball team fell to the Muhlenberg Mules 12-11 on Thursday afternoon in an offensive battle. Messiah scored all 11 of their runs in the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth. Ben Sollenberger led the Falcons with a three-hit performance that included a two-run home run in the top of the fourth.

The Mules struck first with a run in the bottom of the first. After a leadoff double, the runner was sacrificed to third before a one-out single gave Muhlenberg a 1-0 lead. In the third the Falcons got on the board for the first time, scoring four runs on one hit to take a 4-1 lead. After a strike out started the inning, three straight hit by pitches loaded the bases before a wild pitch tied the game at 1-1. Later in the inning a sacrifice fly, a reach on error, and a steal of home on a first and third play gave Messiah a 4-1 lead heading to the bottom of the third.

In the bottom of the frame, the Mules answered right back with a pair of runs on four hits. Both runs were brought home on RBI-singles. The damage could've been worse as the Mules had the bases loaded with one out, but Drew Betz entered in relief and induced a one-two-three double play to end the inning.

As mentioned the Falcons did their damage in the middle innings. This continued in the fourth when the Falcons tallied three runs. The big blow came on Ben Sollenberger's first home run of the season. Sollenberger's two-run shot to left brought home Nick Iodice. Kyle Wickenheiser tripled to start the inning and came home on a sac fly prior to Sollenberger's big fly.

The Falcons took a 9-3 lead in the fifth after Josh Hayner singled home two runs with a knock through the right side.

In the bottom of the frame, the Mules used two Messiah errors and three hits to score seven runs and take a 10-9 lead. The Mules scored three runs on a hit by pitch and a pair of errors before Nick Lucas delivered the big blow, a grand slam to left that capped the scoring in the inning.

In the sixth, the Falcons got took the lead back with an RBI single by Joseph Saufley and a first and third play that brought home Adam Janney. After the two runs in the top of the sixth the Falcons held an 11-10 lead. The Mules came right back and tied the game at 11-11 with a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the inning.

In the top of the eighth the Falcons had a golden opportunity to break the 11-11 tie. Messiah loaded the bases with three straight one-out walks before back-to-back strikeouts looking ended the frame without the Falcons denting the scoreboard

Just moments later the Mules broke the lead with a solo home run to left by Matt Riebesell to give Muhlenberg a 12-11 lead. In Messiah's last chance in the top of the ninth, the Mules struck out the side and despite a single by Sollenberger could not extend the game and Muhlenberg came away with the 12-11 victory.

As mentioned Sollenberger went 3-5 with two runs batted in and three runs scored in addition to the two-run homer. Joseph Saufley was the only other Falcon to collect multiple hits, going 2-4 with a walk, a run batted in, and two runs.

Tyler Mitcheltree started and pitched 2.1 innings, while allowing three runs on seven hits. Drew Betz continued his stellar start to his career pitching 1.2 scoreless innings for his seventh straight appearance without allowing an earned run. Quinton Kuntz pitched the final three innings and allowed just two runs, but was saddled with the loss.

The loss drops the Falcons to 6-8 on the season and Messiah will next take the field on Saturday afternoon in their first conference contest of the season, when they host Albright College for a doubleheader beginning at 12:00 p.m.