GRANTHAM, Pa. - The Messiah baseball team beat the Hood College Blazers 8-6 on Friday afternoon, earning their 12th win on the year. First-year catcher Dustin Isanogle led the way for the Falcons, contributing two run-scoring knocks for a game-high three RBI. Relief pitcher Josh Nielsen shined on the bump, recording the final 12 outs for the Falcons to clinch his first victory of the season.
Kasey Caras, Clayton Roberts, and Jarrett Gordon each registered two-hit games. Messiah recorded a total of 12 hits, the team's fifth-straight game of recording double-digit hits.
With the win, the Falcons improved to 12-10 (2-0 MAC Commonwealth) on the season. The two sides met on Tuesday in Frederick, Md., as the Falcons topped the Blazers, 10-7, behind a seven-run ninth inning.
JJ Zirkle made his first start of the season for the Falcons, working an efficient first inning, retiring the side with ease. In the dominant opening frame, Zirkle recorded his first strikeout of the game, getting Sommer to go down swinging for the second out of the inning.
Messiah left two runners on base in the bottom half of the frame despite a base hit from Sam Zercher. Hood threatened in the top of the second inning, loading the bases with two outs. The Blazers were close to making the game's first breakthrough, but Zirkle worked out of the jam, earning his second strikeout of the game in timely fashion to end the half-inning.
Despite the Falcons reclaiming the momentum, Hood scored the game's first runs in the top of the third inning, taking advantage of sloppy defensive play from Messiah. In the inning, Hood scored two runs on one hit as the Falcons committed two costly errors.
Messiah had a positive response in the bottom of the third inning, cutting its deficit in half when Zercher grounded out to plate a run. The Falcons put runners on first and third with two outs but were unable to score the tying run following a groundout from Mason Valentino. Through three innings, the Blazers led the Falcons, 2-1.
Luke Luckenbaugh came on to pitch in the fourth inning, relieving Zirkle after three innings. Luckenbaugh surrendered a run in his first inning of relief as Hood grew its advantage to 3-1.
The Falcons had a big offensive inning in the bottom of the fourth frame, scoring the game-tying and go-ahead runs behind hits from Clayton Roberts, Dustin Isanogle, and Jarret Gordon. Isanogle provided a two-run single to center field to tie the game at 3-3, the first-year catcher's 12th RBI of the season. Messiah used action on the base paths to plate the go-ahead run. On a double-steal attempt, the Blazer's catcher committed a throwing error down the third-base line, plating Isanogle for a one-run lead (4-3).
Messiah continued its offensive momentum in the bottom of the fifth inning, extending its lead to 6-3 behind a pair of hits and errors. Joshua Ammons contributed a sacrifice fly to plate a run while the Falcons took advantage of a throwing error by the third baseman to score their sixth run of the contest.
Luckenbaugh was chased from the game in the top of the sixth inning as Hood erupted for three runs to level the game at 6-6. Josh Nielsen entered the game for the Falcons, giving up a double to put runners on second and third base with no men out. The sophomore reliever recorded back-to-back strikeouts before walking his fourth batter to load the bases. Saylor was due up, ripping a comebacker straight into Nielsen's glove to end the frame.
A sixth-inning error from the Blazers gave the Falcons a 7-6 edge as Nielsen worked a perfect one-two-three inning in the top of the seventh. Isanogle registered his third RBI in the bottom of the seventh, plating Roberts to give Messiah a two-run lead (8-6).
Hood threatened in the ninth inning with two runners on and one out but a line-out double play would end the game and give the Falcons the win 8-6.
What's Next
The win gives Messiah a 12-10 record and a 2-0 record in the conference. Messiah travels to Annville, Pa., tomorrow to take on the Lebanon Valley College Dutchmen in a conference doubleheader beginning at 12:00 p.m.
