GRANTHAM, Pa. - Messiah broke their bats out with 15 runs in the second game of a doubleheader against the Lebanon Valley Dutchmen to claim the game 15-4 and salvage a split in the double-dip. The Dutchmen took Game One earlier in the day by a 9-6 final.
 
Sam Stewart led the Falcons on the day with three hits and eight RBI. After going 0-1 in Game One, Stewart exploded for eight RBI in Game Two with a two-run single in the first, a three-run homer in the second, a sacrifice fly in the fourth, and a two-run double in the fifth.
 
The Game Two victory for Messiah was their first conference victory of season and the Falcons will try and keep the momentum going on Monday when they host Elizabethtown in a non-conference game at 3:30 p.m.

Game One - Lebanon Valley defeats Messiah 9-6
The Falcons started Game One of the doubleheader with a Trent Culver single. Culver then worked his way around the bases with a pair of stolen bases and a single up the middle from Josh Hayner to put Messiah up 1-0.

The Dutchmen swiftly responded to the Messiah run with seven of their own in the second. Lebanon Valley scored seven two-out runs on seven hits, including three doubles to take a massive 7-1 lead.

Messiah started chipping away at the lead with two runs in the bottom of the frame on fielder's choice and error, but two more runs for the Dutchmen scored in the top of the fourth on a Messiah error and Lebanon Valley took a 9-3 lead.

After scoreless innings in the fifth and sixth for both sides, Messiah attempted a major comeback in the bottom of the seventh. With one out, Messiah loaded the bases with a hit-by-pitch and a pair of singles. A double from Josh Hayner scored a pair and a single from Kasey Caras singled to drive home another run. Unfortunately a foul out ended the  game and gave Lebanon Valley a 9-6 victory.

Game Two - Messiah defeats Lebanon Valley 15-4
In Game Two the Falcons came out swinging. Messiah scored multiple runs in the first, second, fourth, and fifth en route to a 15-4 victory. After the Dutchmen dented the board in the top fo the first, Messiah responded with four runs in the bottom of the frame and five more in the second to take a 9-1 lead.

Sam Stewart led the charge in the opening innings with five runs batted in. He started with a two-run single in the first before hammering a towering, three-run shot to left field in the second. The Falcons also scored in the first on RBI knocks from Jarod Bingaman and Chris LaRose, before adding runs on a single from Josh Hayner and a fielder's choice from Kasey Caras in the second.

Lebanon Valley trimmed the lead to a half dozen at 9-3 in the third, but Josh Hayner scored on a wild pitch in the fourth and Stewart drove home his sixth run of the game with a sacrifice fly.

After the Dutchmen connected for a solo home run in the fifth, Messiah answered with four run in the bottom of the frame to take a lead of 15-4, the eventual winning margin. Hayner and Wickenheiser each drove home a run with a single and a sacrifice fly, but it was Stewart with the big hit again, delivering a two-run single down the left field line with the bases loaded.

Neither team scored in the sixth and the Dutchmen stranded two runner in the ninth as Messiah claimed the 15-4 victory.

What's Up Next
With the split, Messiah moves to 1-8 in the conference and will next be action on Monday when they host the Elizabethtown Blue Jays at 3:30 p.m.