YORK, Pa. - Playing in their MAC Commonwealth opener, the Messiah baseball team used a seven-run third inning to claim a 10-6 victory over the York Spartans on Thursday afternoon. The Falcons broke open a 1-1 tie in the top of the third with seven runs on just four hits, taking advantage of a pair of Spartan errors and two walks to take an 8-1 lead. Messiah's big hits in the frame included two-run doubles from Sam Zercher and David Martinez as well as two-run single from Dustin Isanogle through a drawn-in infield.
 
The Falcons added a pair of insurance runs in the seventh on a sacrifice fly and a ground out as their earned the 10-6 victory.
 
JJ Zirkle earned the victory on the hill, tossing five solid innings while allowing four runs on six hits and striking out four. Josh Nielsen and Christian Foltz each threw two innings in relief with just two unearned runs scoring between the duo.
 
With the victory, Messiah starts the conference slate in the win-column while moving to 4-6-1 overall. The Spartans and Falcons will attempt to play a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 12:00 p.m. in Grantham.
 
How It Happened
David Martinez got the Falcons on the board first in the top of the second with an RBI single to right field, chasing Isiah Parido home after he singled on a bunt earlier in the frame. Messiah threatened for more in the inning, but a flyout to right ended the inning as the Falcons stranded two in scoring position.
 
After the Spartans tied the game with a two-out, RBI single in the bottom of the stanza, the Falcons exploded for seven runs in the third. Taking advantage of two errors and a pair of walks, Messiah scored seven runs to take an 8-1 lead after the top half of the third.
 
Dylan Beard started the frame with a single and after Joshua Ammons reached on a throwing error, the pair moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. Sam Zercher ripped a double to deep right that scored both runs and gave Messiah a 3-1 lead. After a walk Isaiah Parido dropped a beautiful bunt that he nearly would have beat out. A throw up the line allowed a run to score and put Falcons on the corners with no outs. Another walk loaded the bases and David Martinez doubled down the left-field line to drive home two more runs as the Falcons bumped their lead to 6-1. Two batters later, Dustin Isanogle worked a quality at bat before bouncing a two-run single up the middle through a drawn in infield.
 
A caught stealing and a fly out ended the inning, but Messiah took an 8-1 lead.
 
York attempted to battle back, scoring three runs in the bottom of the fifth and two more in the sixth to pull within two at 8-6. Messiah added a pair of insurance runs in the seventh to push their lead back to four at 10-6. Evan Wagaman led off the frame with a triple to right field and came home on a sacrifice fly from Thomas Zeigler. David Martinez followed with a ground out, bringing home Parido, who singled earlier in the frame. The result was a 10-6 Messiah lead.
 
The combination of Josh Nielsen and Christian Foltz combined for three clean frames to end the game as Messiah earned the 10-6 victory to kick off MAC Commonwealth play.
 
What's Up Next
The Falcons and Spartans will attempt to play a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon in Grantham, beginning at 12:00 p.m. Depending on weather, that twin-bill could be moved just as Thursday's game was pulled forward from Friday.