Grantham, PA – Messiah baseball rallied from an early deficit but got held back late runs in a 6-3 loss to Dickinson on Wednesday afternoon. Austin Pletcher led the Falcons with a pair of hits and an RBI, and Tyler Mitcheltree put together a good start by allowing five hits and a single earned run across four innings. Glenn Petraitis took the loss after allowing three runs (two earned) across 1.2 innings of relief.
 
Early Hole
The top of the first inning was anything but orthodox for the Falcons. The frame included a passed ball, a wild pitch, and an error in left field, and it all added up to a 2-0 deficit before they even reached the plate. Rick Hopkins collected an RBI single to open the scoring, and a batter later the Red Devils went up 2-0 with an unearned run. After a walk put runners on the corners with two outs, Mitcheltree avoided further damage with his second strikeout of the inning.
 
Missed Opportunity
In the bottom of the third inning the Falcons seemed poised to chip away at their deficit when JJ Robinson (infield hit to second) and Pletcher (bunt) each singled with one out. Ben Wilson followed with a walk to load the bases, but Colin Fry (pop out to short) and Adam Janney (foul out) could not get anyone in.
 
Two to Tie
In the fifth inning the Falcons finally broke through when they put runners on the corners with no one out. Once again it was Fry and Janney due up, and even though they both grounded out, Janney's chopper to short managed to bring Pletcher home to get Messiah on the board. Kyle Schoen then came up with a huge line drive double to left field to score Wilson and tie the game.
 
Jon Mullin popped out to second to strand Schoen in scoring position.
 
Momentum Snuffed
Whatever momentum the Falcons created at the plate in the fifth was given right back in the top of the sixth when Dickinson made loud contact in more than one at-bat to put up three runs. Petraitis, who sat down the Red Devils in order in the previous inning, recorded two more outs but also gave up long doubles to both Jake Band and Max Matilsky. The latter of the two hit midway up the left field wall and brought home a run. Austin Sumne then walked to put two on with two outs.
 
After Matt Wright relieved Petraitis an error on catcher Shoen allowed both runners to move up and a single up the middle by Stephen Sako brought them in for a 5-2 lead.
 
An RBI triple by Pletcher scored Jimmy Kustra in the sixth, but the next nine-straight Falcons made outs. A two-on, two-out rally in the ninth came up empty when Janney flew out to center.
 
Next Up
The Falcons return to action tomorrow when they hit the road and take on Franklin & Marshall at 3:30 p.m.