Elizabethtown, PA - Josh Hayner and Andrew Eyster each collected two RBI and six pitchers combined to help Messiah College to a 6-4 win at Elizabethtown College this afternoon. Drew Betz sat down the Blue Jays 1-2-3 in the ninth to protect the lead and earn the save.

Tyler Moody earned the win with a scoreless inning of relief of David Nicolais, who started and went four innings. Nicolais put multiple men on base in both the second and third innings, but he escaped each time to keep the Blue Jays off the board. He wasn't as fortunate in the fourth, however, as Elizabethtown rallied for four runs--all with two outs--to draw within 5-4. Richy Masciarelli came up with the big blow with a two-run triple.

Depsite the sudden shift in momentum, Nicolais did induce a pop-up wth two runners on to keep Messiah in front.

The four runs scored by the hosts would be all they would get, as five relievers held the Blue Jays to just a single hit the rest of the way. Even more impressivley, the final four relievers-- Quinton Kuntz, Jordan Nichols, Matt Wright, and Betz-- allowed just a single baserunner while striking out three batters.

Messiah's brilliant bullpen work supported five runs scored in the first four innings. The first three runs came in the top of the second when Colin Fry (double) and Josh Good (single) both reached to start the frame. The Falcons made two quick outs and were close to missing out on the opportunity, but Josh Hayner drilled a 1-2 pitch to left field to bring home both runs for a 2-0 lead. Next, Andrew Eyster put a full-count offering in play and reached on error, with Hayner hustling around to put Messiah up 3-0.

In the fourth inning Messiah added to their lead with two more runs, and it all started with two outs. With the bases empty Kyle Wickenheiser reached on a throwing error by the pitcher, and Hayner knocked a single two pitches later. That brought up Eyster who, like Hayner in the second inning, came up with a huge hit on a 1-2 pitch. This one went for a double to center to bring home both of his teammates.

After Elizabethtown came within 5-4 with their big fourth inning, Messiah earned one back in the fifth with a two-out sac fly from Josh Good. Adam Janney, who singled earlier to lead off the frame, came across with the run.

As mentioned, the bullpen then took over and was dominant. The performance marked the first time since a 3-2 win over SUNY Oneonta on Mar. 7 that mutliple relievers combined to pitch multiple innings without allowing a run. Today was the first time this season that three-or-more relievers achieved the same feat.

The win for Messiah pushed them 19-17, and they will next play on Friday when they travel to Widener to start the final MAC Commonwealth series of the season. Widener is currently in second-place in the conference with a 13-5 mark, while Messiah is in fourth place at 11-7.