ASHLAND, Va. – The Messiah baseball team fell short on the road at Randolph-Macon College, 8-2, Friday afternoon. Christian Woodie started on the bump for the Falcons, allowing three earned runs while striking out four batters in 6.1 innings pitched. Kasey Caras and Sam Zercher had strong offensive games, each scattering two hits and an RBI.
 
The road loss drops Messiah's 2022 overall record to 4-3 ahead of a rematch doubleheader with the Yellow Jackets tomorrow.
 
Woodie made his third start of the year for the Falcons, surrendering a run in the bottom of the first inning. The big hit came off the bat of Cole, a one-out triple to left center to set the Yellow Jackets up well. Cole scored on an RBI-groundout in the following at-bat as Messiah trailed early, 1-0. Despite allowing the game's first run, Woodie struck out two batters in the inning.
 
The Falcons threatened in the top of the fourth inning as Sam Zercher ripped a two-out double down the left field line. After advancing to third on a wild pitch, Zercher was just 90 feet away from tying the ballgame. Joshua Ammons was the batter, grounding out to second to end the frame with the yellow Jackets holding on to their one-run edge.
 
Randolph-Macon doubled its advantage in the bottom of the fifth inning, utilizing a two-out, run-scoring hit to grab a 2-0 lead. Woodie was able to get out of the inning with a strikeout, upping his total to three. Through five innings, the junior pitcher had allowed just two runs on six hits.
 
Messiah put runners on first and second base in the top of the seventh inning following an Ammons single and Clayton Roberts being struck by a pitch. With the tying runs aboard, the Falcons were unable to cash in as Dustin Isanogle flew out to center field and Evan Wagaman went down swinging. Despite threatening, Messiah still trailed by a slim margin of 2-0.
 
Kenny Runkel relieved Woodie in the bottom of the seventh inning with runners on first and second base. Cole proceeded to double down the left field line to plate both runners, giving Randolph-Macon a firm 4-0 advantage. Runkel, putting another runner on base with a fielder's choice, was able to escape the inning behind two strikeouts, with the second strikeout occurring with the bases loaded following a walk.
 
Messiah, with its back to the wall with only six outs remained, answered in the top of the eighth inning. The Falcons scored two runs on two runs on three hits. Two of those hits were run-scoring knocks that went for extra bases. Caras delivered the first blow, a one-out triple to left center field to score Reed Wagner. Caras was plated on the next at-bat when Zercher doubled down the right field line, the junior's second base hit of the game. All of a sudden, the Falcons had cut their deficit in half (4-2).
 
The Falcons' energy did not hold up as the Yellow Jackets responded with a momentous four-run bottom half of the frame. Messiah went scoreless in the top of the ninth, dropping the road decision, 8-2.
 
What's Next
Messiah returns to action tomorrow, facing Randolph-Macon in a doubleheader. Game One of the twin bill is slated to begin at 12:00 p.m.