GRANTHAM, Pa. – The York Spartans swept both ends of a Sunday afternoon doubleheader in Grantham, earning victories by scores of 8-1 and 7-6. The frontend of the double-dip was all York, with the Spartans scoring six runs in the first three innings. Game Two was an interesting one with Trent Culver and Josh Mann locked in a pitcher's duel for the first half of the contest.
 
Once things opened up in the later innings, the lead was traded nearly every frame until the Spartans connected on the final blow with two runs in the top of the ninth to edge Messiah 7-6 and earn the four-game series sweep.
 
Messiah drops to 1-4 with the losses on Sunday and will be back in action on Saturday when they host the Alvernia Golden Wolves in a doubleheader beginning at 1:00 p.m.
 
Game One – York defeats Messiah 8-1
Just as they did yesterday, the Spartans jumped out to an early lead, scoring three runs in the opening inning on Sunday. Two out hits from Jack Barry and Jayden Cowan gave the Spartans a 3-0 lead after the first frame. While the Falcons threatened in the first with a pair of runners in the first, they were unable to break through and trailed 3-0 after one.
 
York added to their lead in the third with a two-run blast from Jack Barry down the right field line and Jayden Cowan drove home his third run of the game with a single, making it a 6-0 lead after three frames.
 
Messiah used an error in the bottom of the fourth to get on the board. With two away, Sam Zercher popped a ball up to the right side of the infield. The Spartans' second baseman was unable to snag the pop-up and Zercher reached. After moving to second on a wild pitch, Joshua Ammons drove Zercher home with a hard-hit single up the middle.
 
That was the only run the Falcons could muster in Game One of the doubleheader. The Spartans added insurance runs in the fifth and seventh, continuing their trend of scoring in the odd innings. Messiah did get two runners on in the seventh, but it was not enough as the Falcons fell 8-1 in the contest.
 
York starter Robert Chaney went six strong innings, allowing just two hits and an unearned run while striking out seven. Chaney earned the victory for his effort while Kenny Runkel was saddled with the loss after allowing three runs in his only inning on the hill.
 
 Game Two – York defeats Messiah 7-6
The first four and a half innings of Game Two was the epidemy of a pitcher's duel with Trent Culver and Josh Mann going pitch for pitch through the first half of the game. Mann had scattered four hits through the first four frames, before the Falcons got to him in the bottom of the fifth with three runs on three hits, leaving the bases loaded. Clayton Roberts led off the frame with a double to left. Trent Culver helped his own cause later in the inning with a two-out single to left to drive home the first run. After a Jared Bingaman walk to load the bases, Kasey Caras laced a two-run single to left center field, making it a 3-0 lead.
 
In the first five innings, Trent Culver held up his end of the pitcher's duel, retiring the first 15 batters he faced in the contest. He highlighted the opening frames with six strike outs in the first five innings. Like Messiah did the inning before, York got to Culver in the top of the sixth. The first three batters reached with singles with a ground out bringing home the first run of the frame. Brandon White delivered the big blow in the frame with a two-run triple to left field. In total the Spartans scored four runs in the frame to take a 4-3 lead.
 
Messiah immediately answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame. Derek Freed drove home a run with an infield single and two batters later Trent Culver knocked an RBI single to left to give Messiah the lead back at 5-4.
 
After two quick outs in the top of the seventh, York nearly leveled the game after an error extended the inning. Craig Wiley sent a double to the left center gap, but the Falcons gunned down the go ahead run at the plate to stay in front by one.
 
The very next inning the Spartans would tie the game thanks to a leadoff double from Brandon White and a two-out double from Joe Capobianco to right field.
 
Once again, Messiah answered in the following half inning. With two away, Jorge Zambrano III walked and then stole second. On his steal, the throw from the catcher went into center field allowing him to reach third. Trent Culver stood in and ripped his third RBI single of the game to right field on a full count to put the Falcons in front 6-5.
 
That advantage was short lived as the Spartans took the lead back in the top of the ninth with a pair of runs. The game tying run scored on a wild pitch while the go-ahead run scored on a bases loaded, pinch-hit infield single by Robby Elzinga. Messiah got out of the inning on a pair of ground balls to leave the bases loaded, but York took a one-run lead into the bottom of the ninth.
 
Messiah threatened in the ninth with a leadoff single and a one-out walk, but back-to-back strikeouts ended the game with York earning the 7-6 victory.