Reading, PA – Messiah baseball took a one-run lead into the eighth inning, but No. 17 Alvernia University scored a run in both the bottom of the eighth and ninth innings to take a 4-3 walk-off win.
The Crusaders outhit the Falcons 9-5, and committed one fewer error (2) than Messiah (3). The errors proved very costly for Messiah, leading to three unearned runs, including the winner in the ninth. The Falcons were efficient with runners on base, though, scoring three runs and only leaving three runners on base, compared to Alvernia's nine left stranded.
Ben Wilson led the Falcon attack at the plate, going 2-4 with one RBI and a run scored.
Both offenses were slow to start as Messiah recorded the only hit in the first two innings. Alvernia got on the board in the bottom of the third when after two quick outs, Messiah starter
Quinton Kuntz gave up a single and a walk to put runners on first and second for Matt Briner, who dropped a single into left field to bring the runner home from second.
The Falcons got that run right back in the top of the fourth, as
Ben Wilson led off the inning with a single and scored on
Colin Fry's RBI double to deep left center. However, the next three Falcons were retired in order, stranding Fry on third. In the bottom of the inning, a pair of doubles by Ben Dubas and Alex Salesky put the Crusaders back on top, 2-1.
Messiah looked to answer again in the top of the fifth, as with one out
Kyle Wickenheiser walked and
Austin Mellinger reached first on an error by the third baseman that allowed Wickenheiser to advance to third. With the runner 90 feet from home,
Dan Wiederrecht executed the sacrifice bunt to perfection, tying the score at two apiece.
Ben Wilson then stepped up to the plate and delivered an RBI single to left to score Mellinger and give the Falcons a 3-2 lead.
Kuntz was pulled after five strong innings, allowing two runs (one earned) and five hits with one strikeout.
Ethan Hess came in as the replacement, and proceeded to shut down the Crusader bats for two innings, only allowing one baserunner. After the Falcons went down 1-2-3 in the top of the eighth, Hess got two outs with a runner on before Salesky reached on an error by
Josh Hayner, and Ethan Francis came through with a pinch-hit single for Alvernia to tie the game back up at three.
Messiah's bats stayed silent in the top of the ninth, going down in order on a groundout, popout, and lineout. Hess came back out in the bottom of the ninth for his fourth inning of relief, and got Nathan Sides to hit a tapper back to the mound. However, Hess's throw to first got past
Hunter Brindle, and Sides managed to get all the way to third on the error. The next batter struck out swinging, but Matt Briner came through with his second RBI single of the afternoon to give Alvernia the 4-3 walk-off win.
It was the second time that Messiah was fallen via a walk-off this season, and fourth loss after leading heading into the eighth inning.
The Falcons continue their three-game set with Alvernia tomorrow as they host the Crusaders for a doubleheader beginning at noon on Starry Field.
