CARLISLE, Pa. – The Messiah baseball team and Dickinson Red Devils combined for 17 eighth-inning runs. The inning started with Messiah scoring eight runs to take a 12-5 lead, but the Red Devils countered with nine runs of their own to flip the lead into their favor at 14-12. The Falcons were unable to get on the board in the ninth, stranding a pair of runners as they fell by the 14-12 final.
Messiah jumped out to an early 3-0 lead, thanks to RBI doubles from
Sam Zercher,
Kasey Caras, and
Evan Wagaman in the first three frames. After Dickinson cut the lead to one at 3-2,
Kasey Caras delivered his first home run of the season, a solo shot to left field that gave Messiah a 4-2 cushion.
Dickinson scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh to take a 5-4 lead, before the wild eighth inning took place. Messiah did their damage in the eighth on just three hits, scoring eight runs. Just moments later, Dickinson scored nine runs on six hits to take the lead and earn the victory.
With the setback, Messiah moves to 9-9 on the season. The Falcons will be back in action on Saturday when they host the No. 9 Rowan Profs for a doubleheader beginning at 12:00 p.m. in Grantham.
How It Happened
The Falcons quickly put two runs on the board in the first inning with a
Reed Wagner leadoff single setting the tone. Wagner then stole his way to third before trotting home on a
Sam Zercher double to left center.
Kasey Caras followed with a double as well and the Falcons led 2-0.
Messiah added to their advantage with an RBI double from
Evan Wagaman in the third to take a 3-0 lead.
Dickinson responded with their first run of the afternoon in the bottom of the third and then scored again in the fourth to tighten Messiah's lead to 3-2.
Kasey Caras led off the fifth frame with an opposite field home run that gave Messiah a 4-2 lead. It was the first homer of the season for Caras, who tied the program record for home runs in a single season with 10 last year.
Messiah left the bases loaded in the sixth before Dickinson took their first lead of the game in the bottom of the seventh with three runs on three hits. Colin Jones collected the big hit with a two-run single to centerfield that gave the Red Devils a 5-4 lead.
That's when things got interesting. Messiah answered swiftly with eight runs in the top of the eighth inning to take a 12-5 lead. The Falcons took advantage of six walks and a hit by pitch during the frame, adding three well-timed knocks to score their eight runs.
Sam Zercher drove home three runs in the inning with a run-scoring single to center and a two-run single to shortstop later in the inning.
Mason Valentino also drove home a run with a single to left to highlight the Messiah frame.
In the bottom half of the inning, Dickinson to jump ahead 14-12. Messiah did issue three walks and hit a pair of batters in the frame, but Dickinson provided most of the pop with six hits in the inning. With a game tied at 12-12, a Messiah error allowed two runs to score and the Red Devils to score the eventually winning run.
The Falcons threatened in the top of the ninth, but stranded a pair of runners.
What's Up Next
The Falcons fall to 9-9 on the season with the setback and will be back in action on Saturday when they host the No. 9 Rowan Profs in Grantham at 12:00 p.m. for a doubleheader.
