Grantham, PA – Elizabethtown College scored nine runs in the fifth and sixth innings to break open the game and went on to defeat Messiah baseball by a score of 11-3 on Wednesday afternoon.
Quinton Kuntz started for Messiah and got through four innings with only two runs, but was chased after giving up three runs in the fifth. Offensively, the Falcons seven compared to 14 for the Blue Jays, but did not record an RBI as the three runs were scored on a pair of errors and a fielder's choice.
Josh Hayner was 2-4 with two runs scored to lead the Falcons.
Messiah falls to 10-19 on the season, while Elizabethtown improves to 17-10.
After a Blue Jay run in the top of the first to take a 1-0 lead, Messiah threatened with back-to-back one-out singles by
Ben Wilson and
Chris LaRose. However,
Kyle Wickenheiser grounded into a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning. Elizabethtown would tack on a run in the fourth, three in the fifth, and six in the top of the sixth to take an 11-0 lead.
Messiah finally got on the board in the bottom of the sixth, as
Josh Hayner and
Adam Janney led off with consecutive singles.
Colin Fry then just missed a three-run jack foul down the left field line before flying out to deep center.
Kyle Schoen then hit into what looked to be a tailor-made double play, but the throw from second to first was in the dirt and got by the first basemen, allowing Hayner to score from second on the play.
After
Ethan Hess came in and pitched a 1-2-3 top of the eighth, Hayner singled up the middle and then
Hunter Brindle reached on an error to put two on with no outs.
Nick Godwin came in to pinch-hit, and also reached on an error by the shortshop that allowed Hayner to score from second.
Jon Mullin then reached on a fielder's choice, allowing Brindle to come home from third and cut the deficit to 11-3. Two more fielder's choices would end the inning.
Chase Peiffer worked a scoreless top of the ninth and the Falcons were retired without a run in the bottom of the inning, and Elizabethtown took the 11-3 win.
Messiah next plays on Friday when they travel to Arcadia University for the first game of a three-game conference series. First pitch is set for 3:30 p.m.
