ANNVILLE, Pa. - The Messiah baseball team dropped both ends of a doubleheader against the Lebanon Valley Dutchmen on Saturday afternoon. The Dutchmen used a two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning in Game One to claim a 2-1 victory in the frontend of the double-dip before claiming a 14-5 victory in the nightcap.
Jarod Bingaman delivered the big swing for the Falcons with a three-run homer to left center in the seventh inning of Game Two. In total, the Falcons were held to nine hits on the day.
The losses drop the Falcons to 3-8-1 on the season and 1-8-1 in the MAC Commonwealth. The Falcons and Dutchmen were scheduled for another doubleheader on Sunday, but rain has pushed that twin-bill back to Monday afternoon in Grantham. First pitch is slated for 1:00 p.m.
Game One - Lebanon Valley defeats Messiah - 2-1
The Messiah baseball team dropped the opener of its road doubleheader at Lebanon Valley College, 2-1, on Saturday afternoon.
Billy Davis supplied the lone run-scoring play for the Falcons on a sacrifice fly during the top of the fifth inning.
Luke Luckenbaugh provided the pitching for Messiah, pitching six innings, allowing just two runs on five hits, striking out six batters.
After a leadoff walk in the bottom of the first, Lebanon Valley got itself on the board early, cashing in a two-run shot from Chris DeClerico. The Dutchmen had a 2-0 edge, but Luckenbaugh settled in the rest of the way. The senior pitcher did not let up a run for the rest of the contest, fanning a season-high six batters.
The Falcons had their chances in the early going, leaving a total of six runners on base in the first three frames.
Messiah would strike in the fifth without the benefit of a base hit.
Trent Culver led off the frame with a walk. He stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error before scoring on a sacrifice fly by
Billy Davis to centerfield. The run, cut the Dutchmen lead in half at 2-1, but the Falcons were unable to find the tying run in the final two innings.
No more runs would cross the plate, as Lebanon Valley prevailed, 2-1.
Kasey Caras,
Reed Wagner, and Davis all contributed base hits for the Falcons. Caras, who leads Messiah in hits (16), has now hit safely in nine of eleven games for the Falcons.
Game Two - Lebanon Valley defeats Messiah - 14-5
In Game Two, the Falcons fell behind 11-0 heading into the top of the seventh inning. The Dutchmen put crooked numbers on the board in the second, fourth, and sixth en route to the sizable lead. Messiah would cut into the deficit with five runs in the seventh.
Dylan Symonds delivered an RBI single and
Derek Freed scored on a wild pitch before
Jarod Bingaman put the capper on the inning with a three-run homerun to left-centerfield. The five-run frame made it an 11-5 game.
The Dutchmen responded with three more runs in the bottom the eighth to earn the 14-5 victory.
What's Up Next
As mentioned, the Falcons and Dutchmen were scheduled to play another doubleheader tomorrow afternoon in Grantham, but forecasted rain has pushed the second half of their conference series to Monday. First pitch of the doubleheader will take place on Monday afternoon at 1:00 p.m.
