Grantham, PA - Quinton Kuntz went six strong innings and Colin Fry provided a clutch two-out, two-RBI single as Messiah baseball knocked off the number one team in the country, Shenandoah University, 4-1 on Wednesday afternoon.
 
This marks the first time in program history that Messiah baseball has beaten a team ranked No. 1 in the country, with the highest-ranked opponent they had defeated before today was No. 6 Christopher Newport in the 2012 NCAA Tournament.
 
It was a well-pitched game throughout by both teams, as Kuntz went six innings and gave up just the one run on five hits while walking three and striking out four. Ethan Hess and Drew Betz combined to throw the last three innings without allowing a hit. On the other side, Shenandoah starter Michael Bugonowicz was also impressive, going 7 2/3 innings with seven hits, four runs (three earned), and nine strikeouts.
 
Kyle Schoen was the offensive leader on the day, going 2-4 with an RBI and one run scored. Colin Fry had one hit, but it was a big one, as two runs scored on the play. Ryan Adamus had the other RBI, and went 1-3 on the day with a run scored. Although they only managed seven hits, it was more than the Falcon pitching gave up – five. Messiah was aggressive on the basepaths, swiping five bags compared to none for the Hornets. Shenandoah also left ten runners on base, and committed three errors.
 
Messiah improves to 13-21 on the year, while Shenandoah loses just their fourth game all season, falling to 31-4.
 
Kuntz was strong early, as he worked around a two-out bases loaded jam in the top of the first, retired the side in order in the second, and kept the Hornets off the scoreboard once again in the third.
 
Messiah didn't register a hit until the bottom of the third. However, Kyle Schoen led off the inning with a double to deep left field and then advanced to third on a Dan Wiederrecht single to put two on with no outs. Ryan Adamus then came through with a bloop single down the right field line to score Schoen and put the Falcons up 1-0. After consecutive flyouts, Colin Fry then came through with an infield single, and two runs would score as the Hornet shortstops' late throw to first got past the first basemen. Adam Janney would walk and Ben Wilson reached on an error to load the bases, but Sam Stewart's sharp line drive was caught by the Hornet shortstop to end the inning.
 
The Hornets got a run in the top of the fourth to cut the Messiah lead to 3-1. The Falcons threatened again in the bottom of the fifth, as Austin Pletcher singled to left and Fry was hit by a pitch to put two on with one out. Pletcher and Fry pulled off a double steal to put two in scoring position, but Janney and Wilson both grounded out to short and the side was retired.
 
Kuntz got into a bit of a jam in the top of the sixth, as he walked the leadoff batter, and after an out allowed a bunt single to put runners on first and third. He then buckled down and struck out Nate Loman swinging before getting Dylan Stouffer to hit a grounder to short that Austin Pletcher made a fantastic diving stop on, before stepping on second for the third out.
 
After Bugonowicz retired the Falcons in order in the bottom of the sixth, Ethan Hess relieved Kuntz after 107 pitches. Hess stepped up and got a foulout, flyout, and lineout to retire the side in order. Ryan Adamus made a great diving catch on the line drive, catching the ball just inches off the ground to rob Dan Cameron of a base hit.
 
In the bottom of the inning, Messiah got a runner on second with one out but could not bring him home. Hess came back out for the eighth, and got one out before walking the next two Hornet hitters. Drew Betz came in to pitch, and Robert Marcelle hit a grounder to second that was bobbled by Pletcher, allowing all three runners to be safe and loading the bases with just the one out. With the lead in jeopardy, Betz got exactly what he wanted – a sharply hit ground ball right to Josh Hayner at second, who flipped to Pletcher at the base, and Pletcher fired the ball to Janney to complete the inning-ending double play.
 
Looking for some crucial insurance runs, Janney led off the bottom of the eighth with a hard-hit single through the left side, and Chris LaRose came up with a pinch-hit sacrifice bunt to move Janney to second. After Stewart struck out, Schoen launched a deep fly ball to right that was just out of the right fielder's reach for a double, scoring Janney and giving Messiah a 4-1 lead.
 
Needing just three outs, Betz came back on to try and earn the five-out save. He made quick work of the Hornets, getting a flyout to center, strikeout swinging, and finally a weak grounder right back to him that Betz picked up and tossed underhand to Janney at first, and the celebration was underway.

Messiah went into today's game having lost 10 of their last 12 against Shenandoah, but all of that did not matter in the least, as the No. 1 team in the nation left Grantham with a loss.
 
The Falcons will look to win their fourth-straight game when they travel to Stevenson University on Friday, wrapping up conference play over the weekend. First pitch in Owings Mills is set for 3:30 p.m.