YORK, Pa. - The York Spartans scored five runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to come from behind to defeat the Messiah baseball take on Wednesday afternoon. Despite Messiah outhitting the Spartans 14-8, York was able to earn the victory. Glenn Petraitis and Carson Spangler combined to throw six, one-hit innings to start the game, but the late runs for York were the difference.

Billy Davis, Trent Culver, Sam Stewart, and Hunter Brindle each collected a pair of knocks in the game and Josh Hayner drove home two runs.

Holding the Spartans In Check
Messiah started Wednesday's game with stellar pitching from Glenn Petraitis and Carson Spangler. The duo allowed just one hit across the first six innings of play. Petraitis got the start and went four innings allowing one hit and a pair The only York hit in the game's early innings came on a two-out RBI triple from Jimmy Wiegers. He would come around to score on an error and make it a 3-2 Messiah lead heading into the fourth.

Taking the Lead
While Messiah's pitching was keeping the Spartans in check, their bats had put five runs on the board to take a 5-2 lead into the seventh. A leadoff single by Trent Culver put Messiah on base in the top of the first. After a stolen base and a fly out moved him up to third, a sacrifice fly from Josh Hayner allowed him to scamper home for the first run of the game.

After scoreless frames in the second and third, Messiah put three runs on the board in the top of the fourth. Messiah started the inning with a single from Kyle Wickenheiser, a run-scoring double from Davis, and a single from Hunter Brindle before playing some small ball. The Falcons scored their final two runs in the inning on a fielder's choice and a squeeze.

Messiah added an insurance run with a pinch hit, solo home run off the bat of Sam Stewart in the top of the fifth. Following Stewart's solo shot, Messiah held a 5-2 lead.

York's Big Inning
The three-run advantage would hold into the bottom of the seventh. An opposite-field home run from Wiegers started the inning and the Spartans proceeded to load the bases with a walk, a single, and a pair of hit-by-pitches. While the Spartans were loading the bases, Sam Stewart cut a runner down with a pickoff at second base. As a result, York had the bases loaded with one away, trailing by two.

Brandon White then stepped to the dish and unloaded the bases with a towering fly ball over the left field wall. The grand slam put the Spartans in front 7-5 and they threatened for more, but Messiah limited the damage, stranding a pair of runners.

Falcons Threaten Late
After falling behind for the first time in the contest, Messiah put a total of six runners on base in the final two frames, but were only able to push one run across. York held Messiah scoreless in the eighth despite back-to-back, one-out singles from Brindle and Roberts. The runners were left stranded in scoring position after a pair of groundouts ended the frame.

In the ninth, Culver led off the inning with a triple to straightaway centerfield and quickly came around to score on a sacrifice fly from Hayner two batters later. That run pulled Messiah within one at 8-7, but with two outs and the bases empty had a ways to go to pull off the comeback. Singles by Chris LaRose and Sam Stewart followed and Hunter Brindle walked to load the bases. A tremendous over-the-shoulder catch from the Spartans' first baseman in foul territory ended the game and gave York the one-run victory.

What's Up Next
The Falcons will now travel to Florida for Spring Break. Messiah hits the road this Friday and will take on conference foe, Arcadia in a doubleheader in Port St. Lucie, Fla. on Saturday beginning at 3:30 p.m. Messiah will complete their three-game conference series with Arcadia on Saturday.