GRANTHAM, Pa. -  On the back of Nathan Stein, the Messiah baseball team earned a 7-0, shutout victory over the visiting Penn State Mont Alto Nittany Lions on Monday afternoon. Stein went eight strong innings, striking out nine batters while allowing just three hits and two walks.
 
Offensively, Messiah collected nine hits with Dustin Isanogle, Sam Zercher, and Kasey Caras all driving home runs.
 
With the victory, the Falcons improve to 9-8 on the season and will be back in action on Wednesday when they travel to Dickinson to take on the Red Devils at 3:00 p.m.
 
How It Happened
The Falcons jumped out to an early lead thanks to two first-inning runs and a third run in the top of the second. Messiah wasted little time getting on the board, scoring just three batters into the game. A one-out walk to Dustin Isanogle and a Sam Zercher double gave Messiah a swift 1-0 lead. The Falcons later pushed a second run across when Sam Zercher stole third and the throw from the catcher sailed into left field. Zercher got up and trotted home for a 2-0 Messiah lead.
 
In the second, Dustin Isanogle singled home Mason Valentino with two outs after Valentino singled earlier in the frame.
 
After a scoreless third, Messiah scored a pair of runs with a two-out rally in the fourth. With two away, Jarrett Gordon walked and Reed Wagner followed with a perfectly placed bunt single down the third-base line to put runners on first and second. After a double steal from Gordon and Wagner, Messiah had two in scoring position. Dustin Isanogle then grounded a ball to the short stop that should have ended the inning, but the throw went high and wide of first base, allowing two runs to score. With the two runs, Messiah pushed their lead to 5-0 heading into the fifth.
 
In the seventh, Messiah added to their lead with Kasey Caras lofting a sacrifice fly to left center and Zercher coming home on a throwing error on a stolen base attempt. Isanogle and Zercher set the table for the two-run frame with a single and a double, respectively, to lead off the inning. The two seventh-inning runs gave Messiah their ultimate winning score of 7-0.
 
As mentioned, Nathan Stein was masterful for the Falcons. He went eight stellar innings allowing just six base runners and striking out nine batters. The Nittany Lions collected just three hits with Stein on the mound. During his eight frames on the hill, no Nittany Lion reached third base.
 
Dennis Snyder came on in relief, tossing a scoreless ninth inning to close out Messiah's first shutout of the season.
 
What's Up Next
The Falcons are back in action on Wednesday when they travel to Carlisle to take on the Dickinson Red Devils at 3:00 p.m.