READING, Pa. - The Messiah baseball team swept the Albright Lions in a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon. The Falcons ran away with Game One 13-3 before claiming the nightcap 5-1 for their third doubleheader sweep of the season. Jimmy Kustra and Jarod Bingaman led the Falcons with three RBI each on the day.
 
Messiah and Albright will wrap-up their three-game series with a nine-inning game on Sunday afternoon in Grantham.
 
Game One - Messiah defeats Albright 13-3
The Albright Lions jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first with an RBI single by Jeff Yordy, but Messiah responded with back-to-back five-run innings to take a 10-1 lead through three innings.
 
Kyle Wickenheiser collected an RBI with an infield single to get the Falcons on the board before a throwing error allowed Sam Stewart to score. Jimmy Kustra delivered the big blow in the second inning with a two-run single up the middle, chasing Billy Davis and Wickenheiser home. Trent Culver collected the first of his five hits on the day with a double down the left field line, driving home Kustra for the fifth run of the frame.
 
In the third, it was many of the same faces delivering key knocks to bring teammates home. Stewart, Wickenheiser, Kustra, Culver and Jarod Bingaman each collected RBI hits in the inning with Stewart and Wickenheiser each swatting doubles.
 
The Falcons scored two more runs in the fourth on a Colt Price single down the left field line before plating their final run of Game One on a Sam Stewart single up the middle in the top of the fifth.
 
 Messiah notched 15 hits in the 13-3 Game One victory with Culver and Stewart leading the way with three each. On the mound, Messiah got into their fair share of jams, but Glenn Petraitis, Zak Muffitt, and Carson Spangler limited the damage, scattering 11 hits across the seven innings and allowing just three runs.
 
Game Two - Messiah defeats Albright 5-1
In Game Two, it was Messiah taking an early lead with Jarod Bingaman brining home Culver with a sacrifice fly to right field. Culver singled to lead off the game, stole second, and advanced to third on a wild pitch before coming home for the game's first run.
 
After a scoreless second, Messiah was back on the board in the third with a two-run frame. The Falcons scored one run on a double-play ball and a second on a Josh Hayner single to left center to take a 3-0 lead.
 
The lead would remain three until Bingaman singled through the left side with two-outs in the top of the fifth. The knock would allow Jimmy Kustra to score from second to increase the Messiah lead to 4-0.
 
A throwing error in the sixth would allow the Falcons to bump their lead up to 5-0 before the Lions got on the board in the bottom of the inning on a throwing error by the Falcons. A scoreless seventh gave Messiah the doubleheader sweep with a 5-1 victory in the second game of the day.
 
On the hill, Ethan Hess nearly went the distance, tossing 6.2 innings allowing just one unearned run on six hits. He walked two while striking out three. Chase Peiffer was call upon to get the final out in the seventh.
 
What's Up Next
Albright will now travel to Messiah on Sunday afternoon to complete the three-game series. The first pitch of tomorrow's game is slated for 2:00 p.m. at the Starry Athletic Complex.