HOUGHTON, N.Y. - The Messiah baseball team opened the 2019 season on Saturday morning in New York. Yes, you read that right, the Messiah Falcons traveled north to open the new season. With temperatures and weather better north than south, Messiah started the season with a 10-2 victory over the Houghton Highlanders and followed that win with a second victory on opening day with a 6-1 victory over Alfred State.
 
The game with Houghton was scoreless through six, but the Falcons struck for three runs in the top of the seventh. After the Highlanders countered for two runs of their own in the bottom of the inning, Messiah hung a seven spot on the board to put the game out of reach.
 
Against Alfred State, Messiah scored once on a throwing error in the first before plating four runs in the fourth on four hits including a two-run single by Jimmy Kustra. The Pioneers scored once in the sixth, but Messiah held on for the 6-1 victory to start the season 2-0.
 
Messiah is next scheduled to take the field on Friday, Mar. 1 when they travel to Randolph-Macon to take on the Yellow Jackets at 2:30 p.m.
 
Messiah defeats Houghton 10-2
The first five innings of Saturday's season opener was a pitcher's dual that saw just five total hits between the Falcons and Highlanders. Messiah got on the board first with three runs in the top of the sixth on three hits. A Kyle Wickenheiser single started the frame and an RBI single from Ryan Hentschel followed to plate the first run of the season. Jarod Bingaman chased Chris LaRose and Hentschel home with a single to give Messiah the 3-0 lead heading to the bottom of the sixth.
 
The Highlanders cut the Messiah lead to one with a two-run single in the seventh, but the Falcons exploded for seven runs in the top of the eighth to take a 10-2 lead. Messiah took advantage of four walks and two hit-by-pitches in the frame with Trent Culver and Dan Wiederrecht delivering RBI knocks. Cluver drove home two with a two-run single while Wiederrecht scored Kasey Caras with a double.
 
Messiah's Luke Luckenbaugh and Ben Stewart came out of the bullpen and tossed scoreless frames to lock down the 10-2 victory for Messiah.
 
Jordan Nichols earned the victory, allowing one hit and one walk over five innings while striking out five. At the dish, Trent Culver went 4-5 out of the leadoff spot with a pair of RBI and four stolen bases to lead the Messiah offense.
 
Messiah defeats Alfred State 6-1
Messiah got on the board early against the Alfred State Pioneers with Cluver knocking a leadoff double to right center field and promptly stealing third. He advanced home on a throwing error to give Messiah a 1-0 lead in the top of the first.
 
That lead would hold until the Falcons added four more runs in the top of the fourth to expand their lead to 5-0. Ben Wilson singled home Sam Stewart with on outs after Stewart doubled to leadoff the frame. Jimmy Kustra knocked a two-run double, chasing home Wilson and Clayton Roberts and later came around to score on a Josh Hayner infield single with two outs to give Messiah a 5-0 lead.
 
In the fifth, Messiah played some small ball with Jarod Bingaman laying down a sacrifice to score Stewart for Messiah's sixth and final run of the game.
 
The Pioneers' Josh Lane doubled down the left field line in the sixth, scoring Colin Johnson for the only Alfred State run of the game.
 
Messiah's pitching staff allowed just seven hits and the one earned run while striking out eight. Ethan Hess picked up the victory with five shutout innings, allowing three hits and striking out five.
 
At the plate, Hayner, Stewart, and Bingaman all earned multi-hit games with Stewart collecting two doubles.
 
What's Up Next
The Falcons are next in action on Mar. 1 when they travel to Randolph-Macon to play the Yellowjackets at 2:30 p.m. While in Virginia, Messiah will also take on Rowan University on Saturday morning at 11:00 a.m.