PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - The Messiah baseball team wrapped up their opening conference series of the season in Port St. Lucie, Fla. on Sunday morning with a 3-2 loss against Arcadia. The Falcons took a 2-0 lead with a pair of runs in the second inning, but the Knights scored one in the fifth and got two in the seventh for their second comeback win of the weekend.
Chris LaRose collected two hits as the designated hitter, going 2-3 with a run scored while
Ryan Hentschel picked up the lone Messiah RBI with a single to left field in the top of the third.
Messiah will wrap up their varsity schedule in Florida on Monday with a single game against Geneva at 10:00 a.m.
Messiah Strikes First
After both teams were held scoreless in the first two innings, Messiah struck for a pair in the top of the third.
Chris LaRose started the frame with an infield single and
Dan Wiederrecht followed with a single to center field to put runners on the corners. Wiederrecht then went in motion and the catcher's throw to second base got away, allowing LaRose to hustle home with the first run of the game.
Ryan Hentschel then yanked a ball into left field that chased Wiederrecht home from second and put the Falcons up 2-0. Hentschel was moved up to second on a sacrifice bunt, but was left there when a fly out and ground out ended the inning.
Arcadia Gets On the Board
In the fifth, Arcadia looked to have tied the game with a bases loaded double, but Hentschel cut down a runner at the dish keeping the Falcons in front for the time being. The rally started for the Knights when Matt Ernst drew a leadoff walk. After a single and a sacrifice bunt, Arcadia had two runners in scoring position with one away. Another walk loaded the bases for Phil Pierfy. A double to left field brought home the first Arcadia run of the game, but Hentschel threw a dart to the plate for the second out of the inning. Messiah starter, Luke Lukenbaugh ended the inning with a strikout to limit the damage to just a single run and Messiah stayed in front, 2-1 heading to the sixth.
Knights Complete Comeback
In the seventh, Messiah struggled to find the strike zone after a pitching change brought
Paul Hansel into the game. The first three Arcadia batters reached base in the inning with with two hit by pitches and one singling to right. With the bases loaded, a walk brought home the game-tying run and moments later a ground ball double play sent a second run home. A ground out ended the inning, but the damage was done with two runs crossing the plate.
Messiah threatened in the top of the eighth with a pair of singles, but LaRose was thrown out trying to score from second on an infield single by
Trent Culver. After Messiah went three-up, three-down in the ninth, Arcadia claimed the 3-2 victory and completed the three-game sweep of the Falcons.
On the Mound
Arcadia's Joel Bartoni went the distance on the mound, allowing five hits, two runs (one earned), one walk, while striking out five across nine innings. With the win, Bartoni moves to 3-0 on the season.
For the Falcons, Luke Lukenbaugh got the start on hill and kept the Knights in check, allowing one run on six hits and four walks across six innings, while striking out six.
Paul Hansel took the loss in relief after struggling to find the strike zone in the seventh. He moves to 1-1 on the season.
Ben Stewart closed out the game for the Falcons with two perfect innings.
What's Up Next
Messiah will complete their Spring Break varsity games with a contest against Geneva at 10:00 a.m. on Monday morning.
