FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. –
Nathan Stein tossed a complete game, in Game One of a doubleheader on Saturday as the Falcons clinched a series victory with a 3-1 win against the Methodist Monarchs. While the Monarchs claimed the nightcap with a 4-2 win to salvage a Saturday split, Messiah clinched a season-opening series win after winning on Friday night 4-3.
In his seven-inning complete game, Stein allowed just one run on five hits while striking out seven. The Falcons scratched across three runs in the game to make Stein's strong pitching performance hold up in a 3-1 victory.
Dustin Isanogle and
Luke Ott recorded RBI in the game.
In the nightcap, Messiah held a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the sixth, but the Monarchs recorded their only multi-run inning of the weekend, plating four and earning the 4-2 victory.
David Martinez collected the lone RBI of Game Two for the Falcons.
After the series win, Messiah opens the season with a 2-1 record and will be back in action next weekend for a series at Covenant College in Lookout Mountain, GA. With a single game on Friday night and a doubleheader on Saturday.
Game One – Messiah defeats Methodist – 3-1
The story of Game One on Saturday was
Nathan Stein. The senior lefty tossed a five-hit complete game, allowing just one run while walking two and striking out seven batters. Stein did not allow a runner to reach third in the first three innings, facing just one more than the minimum through three frames.
Methodist knocked a leadoff double in the fourth that later scored on a sacrifice fly, but that was the only blemish in Stein's line on the afternoon. He worked out of a bit of a jam in the sixth, stranding two runners after a hit by pitch and a single allowed runners to reach with two away.
Like Friday night, Messiah's offense did just enough to earn the victory. In Game One on Saturday, the Falcons plated three runs across the second and third innings and Stein made the three runs hold up. In the second inning, Messiah got the job done with a two-out rally.
Luke Ott started the rally with a two-out single up the middle.
Nick Moyer then walked, and
Jarrett Gordon was pit by a pitch to load the bases. A failed pickoff attempt allowed Ott to trot home with the game's first run. Two more walks followed with
Isaiah Parido and
Dustin Isanogle working free passes to force home a second run.
In the third, Messiah started the frame with
Evan Wagaman getting hit by a pitch. After a ground out,
Dylan Beard singled to put runners on second and third.
Luke Ott would ground out to second base, but Wagaman was able to score and give Messiah a 3-0 lead.
That was all the offense Messiah would need as Stein's complete game gave the Falcons their second-straight win to start the season.
Game Two – Methodist defeats Messiah – 4-2
With the Falcons looking to complete the sweep, they used a similar script as the first two games of the series in the finale. It nearly worked, as Messiah held a 2-0 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth. The Falcons scored runs on a failed pickoff and an RBI groundout earlier in the game, but Methodist put together their first multi-run frame of the weekend in the bottom of the sixth with four runs on four hits to comeback and win the game 4-2.
Josh Neilsen took the loss, but pitched well, tossing 5.1 innings of three-run ball with four strikeouts, two walks, and five hits.
At the dish, Messiah managed just four hits, but did walk seven times.
David Martinez drove home the lone run with an RBI groundout in the fifth.
What's Up Next
The Falcons will be back in action next weekend when they head to Lookout Mountain, Ga. to take on the Covenant Scots in a three-game series across Friday and Saturday.
