GRANTHAM, Pa. - Alvernia University took an early lead and never looked back as the defeated Messiah baseball 11-1 on Thursday afternoon.
The Golden Wolves, who are receiving votes in the latest ABCA poll, improves to 16-6 on the year and 8-1 in the MAC Commonwealth. Messiah falls to 4-10 on the season and 1-6 in the conference.
The Falcons did manage to scrap together seven hits on the day, but nine runners were left on base. Alvernia scored their 11 runs on 16 hits, including a five-spot in the sixth that were all unearned. Seven different Falcons notched base hits, while five Golden Wolves recorded at least two.
Alvernia got on the board right away in the top of the first, as Dillon Dunne scored an unearned run with two outs on a error by
Austin Mellinger at shortstop. The Golden Wolves added another in the top of the second and three more in the top of the third to take a 5-0 lead.
Zach Luman replaced Messiah starter
Jordan Nichols in the top of the sixth, and promptly retired the first two hitters on groundouts to
Colin Fry at third. However, a single and another error by Mellinger kept the inning alive and after three more singles and a wild pitch, the Golden Wolves pushed across five unearned runs before the third out was recorded.
The Falcons created their own two-out rally in the top of the seventh, as JJ Robinson reached on an error and advanced to third on another error to become the first Falcon to be in scoring position since
Trey Pritchard's one-out double in the second inning. With Robinson on third,
Kyle Wickenheiser singled to right field to put Messiah on the board. The Falcons would load the bases before the inning was over, but
Hunter Brindle struck out swinging to end the threat.
Before all was said and done, the Golden Wolves added another run in the top of the eighth to come away with the 11-1 victory.
Messiah will travel to Widener tomorrow afternoon to begin a three-game set with the Pride, with first pitch slated for 3:30 p.m.
