GRANTHAM, Pa. - The Messiah baseball team opened up the 2021 season with a resounding 10-1 victory over the Albright Lions on Tuesday afternoon. Trent Culver and Kasey Caras led the way with a solo home run and triple each while driving in a combined eight runs on the afternoon. On the mound, eight pitchers combined to allow just one run on seven hits in the contest.
 
Carson Spangler earned the victory with a scoreless, three-up, three-down third inning.
 
Messiah improves to 1-0 on the season and will be back underway this weekend with a pair of doubleheaders against new conference foe, York College. Messiah will make the short trip to York on Saturday for a doubleheader before welcoming the Spartans to Grantham on Sunday for a twin-bill. Both double-dips start at noon.
 
Defense the Early Story
While the Falcons would eventually put 10 runs on the board, their defense was the storyline in the early going. Messiah got out of both the first and second innings thanks to double plays behind starter Christian Woodie. With one out in the top of the first, Trent Culver cut down a runner at third base with a perfect strike from centerfield to end the inning when a runner from second attempted to tag up. In the second, Messiah used a five-two-three double play with the bases loaded to end the frame and keep the game scoreless.
 
Homers Build Lead
Despite the strong defensive plays in the field, Messiah's offense looked pretty tame the first time through the order on Tuesday. Albright's starter Will Tokarski allowed just one Falcon to reach base on a two-out walk in the second his first time through the order. Trent Culver changed that narrative with a towering, solo home run in the bottom of the third to right centerfield for Messiah's first hit and run of the year.
 
The Falcons added to that lead in the fourth with a bloop single by Derek Freed that plated Dylan Symonds, who had doubled to lead off the inning. After a walk to load the bases, Messiah threatened for more, but were turned away when a flyout ended the frame with the sacks full.
 
Kasey Caras uncorked a massive homer in the bottom of the fifth, flying a 2-2 pitch over the scoreboard in right centerfield for a 3-0 Messiah lead.
 
Adding Insurance
Messiah added four insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth with a pair of two-out triples from Culver and Caras. With one out, Messiah picked up back-to-back walks to put some traffic on the bases. After a strikeout, Culver shot a ball to left center field to bring home pinch runner Manny Covington and Derek Freed. After another walk to Jarod Bingaman, Caras nearly hit his second home run of the afternoon, rattling a linedrive off the right field fence and hustling around to third for a triple. A pop-up ended the stanza, but the damage was done. Messiah held a 7-1 lead heading to the seventh.
 
Two more RBIs from Culver on a bases loaded single through the right side in the seventh made it a 9-1 game. Timothy Glavin capped off the scoring with a hard hit single up the middle in the eighth to drive home Messiah's 10th run of the afternoon.
 
Culver and Caras Carry the Offense
As mentioned, Trent Culver and Kasey Caras were Messiah's leaders offensively. The Falcons' one and three hitters accounted for five hits, eight RBIs, two home runs, two triples, and four runs on the afternoon. Additionally, Culver picked up an outfield assist and tossed a scoreless inning on the hill to round out the complete performance.
 
Jonny Wholestaff
The Falcons trotted eight different pitchers to the mound on Tuesday afternoon with the staff accounting for just one earned run on seven hits. Christian Woodie was the lone Falcons to toss more than one inning, pitching two scoreless frames in the start. Carson Spangler picked up the victory with a perfect third inning. Nathan Stein, Josh Monturo, and Alex Weakland also added perfect frames in relief.
 
Of note, the Falcons pitching staff did not concede a walk in the entire game, hitting only one batter, while striking out five.
 
What's Up Next
Messiah will travel to York College on Saturday for a doubleheader against a new MAC Commonwealth foe. The Falcons and Spartans will play a doubleheader at York on Saturday before heading to Grantham for two more games on Sunday afternoon at 12:00 p.m.