READING, Pa. – The Messiah baseball team overcame a 10-3 deficit against the Albright Lions and earned an 12-11 victory in 10 innings to begin a three-game conference series. The Falcons scored seven runs across the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings to tie the game at 10-10 before taking an 11-10 lead on a go-ahead solo home run by Isaiah Parido in the top of the ninth. The Lions battled back with a rally in the bottom of the frame scoring the game-tying run on a single to right field. Albright attempted to win the game, but Evan Wagaman cut down the would-be winning run at the plate and the game went to extras.
 
In the top of the 10th, Dustin Isanogle led off the inning with a double and later came around to score when Evan Wagaman reached on an error. In the bottom of the frame, three-straight Lions were turned away by Noah Barrall with a pair of strikeouts and a flyout to right field for the final out of the contest.
 
The Falcons and Lions will wrap up their series tomorrow afternoon with a doubleheader in Grantham, beginning at 12:00 p.m.
 
How It Happened
The Falcons jumped in front early with three runs in the third inning. The Falcons knocked a pair of triples in the frame with Jarrett Gordon and Sam Zercher helping Messiah score three runs in the frame. The Falcons totaled three runs on four hits in the frame.
 
Albright responded by scoring 10 runs in the next two frames. They started with four in the bottom of the third on four hits and one Messiah error. They continued with six runs in the fourth to take a 10-3 lead. Albright scored half a dozen runs in the frame on six hits and a pair of walks. All six of their hits were singles and the result was a seven-run lead as the game headed to the fifth.
 
The Falcons chipped away with one run in both the fifth and sixth to pull within five at 10-5. Then in the seventh, Messiah exploded for five runs on just two hits to tie the game at 10-10. Evan Wagaman delivered a two-run single and Ryan Friend later singled to center, driving home a run in the game-tying frame.
 
After a scoreless eighth, Isaiah Parido led off the ninth with a solo home run to centerfield, outing the Falcons up 11-10 and giving Messiah their first lead since it was 3-0 in the third. In the bottom of the ninth, the Falcons got two quick outs, but a walk extended the inning with a walk and a single to put runners on first and second. A single to right field followed, allowing the tying run to cross the plate, but Evan Wagaman cut down the would-be winning run at the plate to force extra innings. In the 10th, Isanogle led off with a double and later scored on an error. Noah Barrall shutdown the Lions with a pair of strikeouts and induced a flyout to right field for the final out of a 12-11 victory.
 
What's Up Next
The Falcons and Lions will be back in action on Saturday afternoon in Grantham for a conference doubleheader to finish their three-game series. First pitch is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.