Grantham, Pa. – The Messiah baseball team opens up its 2021 season next Saturday, Mar. 6, when they host Albright College in a doubleheader at Starry Baseball Field, beginning at 12:00 p.m. The Falcons, having their 2020 campaign cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic, finished with a 3-4 record. The visiting Lions will mark Messiah's first MAC Commonwealth competition since the 2019 season.
2020 Recap
After beginning the season 1-3 after two road doubleheaders at Bridgewater College (Feb. 29) and University of Mary Washington (Feb. 29), the Falcons finished strong by clinching two of their final three contests. In those two non-conference wins, Messiah's offense exploded against Franklin & Marshall College (Mar. 2) and Gettysburg College (Mar. 4).
The Falcons scored a combined 29 runs in the two victories. In the 11-9 win over Franklin & Marshall, sophomore outfielder/first baseman
Kasey Caras provided arguably the biggest hit of Messiah's shortened season, proving to be the game-winner. Trailing, 9-7, with the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh inning, Caras knocked a bases-clearing, go-ahead double to center field to drive in three runs, elevating Messiah to a 10-9 advantage.
Just two days later, the Falcons routed the visiting Bullets, 18-9, matching the most runs Messiah has scored in a game since 2018. Six different players contributed RBIs for the Falcons, highlighted by three RBIs from junior third baseman
Colt Price. Junior pitcher
Kenny Runkel tossed two scoreless innings in the win, giving up just one hit while fanning three batters.
Around The Diamond
During the pandemic-shortened season, junior shortstop
Jarod Bingaman led the Falcons in total hits (10), ending the season with a .455 average. Bingaman, a career .360 hitter, accumulated 11 total bases, tied for the team-high with senior outfielder
Trent Culver. Messiah returns both Bingaman and Culver, as well as Price, who knocked in five RBIs during the 2020 season.
Overall, the Falcons return 21 players from last season's roster, welcoming six freshmen and a transfer to their squad.
In The Dugout
Messiah head coach,
Pat Lightle, returns to begin his ninth season with the Falcons. Lightle, who is the 13
th head coach in Messiah baseball history, is looking to clinch his fourth appearance in the MAC Commonwealth Tournament.
Rounding off the Falcons' coaching staff are assistant coaches
Chad Muise,
Barak Gohn,
John Hollenbach,
Nick Johnson, and first-year graduate assistant coaches
Gage Bley and
Matt Burr.
What To Watch For
Starting next week, Messiah will be playing in conference doubleheaders on Saturdays and Sundays. The condensed schedule will last for seven-consecutive weekends, featuring only opponents from the MAC Commonwealth. The MAC Commonwealth Tournament is set to begin with a play-in on Apr. 27, followed by the quarterfinals (May 1), semifinals (May 8), and Championship (May 15-16).
Be sure to follow Messiah baseball's 2021 season here at GoMessiah.com, as well as tune-in to select home doubleheaders at GoMessiah.TV!
