OWINGS MILLS, Md. – On Saturday afternoon, the Messiah University baseball team used a strong offensive day in both games to earn two wins and the regular season series sweep over the Mustangs of Stevenson University.
In game one, both teams scored a run in the first, but the Falcons scored one in the second and three runs in the third to take an early 5-1 lead. The Falcons added a run in the top of the fourth, but the Mustangs struck for four runs in the bottom of the fourth to reduce the Falcons lead to 6-5. The Falcons added two more runs in the top of the fifth, but again the Mustangs would not down without a fight, scoring three in the bottom of the fifth to tie the game at eight. The Falcons added six runs in the sixth and a run in the seventh to take a 15-8 lead into the bottom of the seventh. The Mustangs scored two runs but could not get a rally going and the Falcons earned the 15-10 win in game one. Matt Luchovick led the Falcons with four hits, including a home run, and four RBIs. Dylan Beard, Jarrett Gordon, and Nick Moyer each tallied two hits. Isaiah Parido, Evan Wagaman, and David Martinez each added a hit.
After a back-and-forth battle in game one, game two was controlled by the Falcons. After three innings of play, the Falcons brought home seven runs to take a 7-0 lead. The Falcons scored seven more in the fifth to push their lead even more to 14-0. The Falcons added three more runs in the seventh and the Mustangs scored one in the bottom of the seventh, but the Falcons earned the run rule shorted 17-1 win. Drew Hurst led the Falcons offense with three hits and two RBIs. Dylan Beard, Carter Reid, Matt Luchovick, Cristian Reyna, Luke Ott, David Martinez, and Nick Moyer all totaled two hits. Zachary Harris earned the win pitching 5.1 scoreless innings, allowing on two hits and striking out eight Mustang batters.
 
Up next, the Falcons travel to Annville, Pa. to take on the Flying Dutchmen of Lebanon Valley College on Tuesday, April 1 at 3:30 p.m.
 
Messiah 15, Stevenson 10
The Falcons looked to open the game strong in the top of the first. With one out, Dylan Beard hit a single to give the Falcons their first base runner of the game. After Beard stole second, Evan Wagaman brought him home with an RBI single to give the Falcons a 1-0 lead.
 
The Mustangs though answered back quickly scoring a run in the bottom of the first to tie the game at one.
 
The Falcons though continued to keep the bats rolling in the top of second. Matt Luchovick led off the inning with a double down the left field line. After a strikeout, David Martinez hit an RBI double down the left field line to push the Falcons lead to 2-1.
 
After a scoreless bottom of the second from Christian Foltz, the Falcons bats went back to work. After a strikeout, Dylan Beard and Evan Wagaman had back-to-back walks. Matt Luchovick then drilled a three-run home run to left center to push the Falcons lead to 5-1.
 
The Falcons looked to continue adding runs in the top of the fourth. After a leadoff walk from Dustin Isanogle, Nick Moyer singled to center putting runners on first and second with no outs. After Isaiah Parido advanced the runners with a sacrifice bunt, Dylan Bear hit a sacrifice fly to center field to give the Falcons a 6-1 lead.
 
The Mustangs though kept battling and scored four runs in the bottom of the fourth on two hits, two errors on the Falcons to put the score at 6-5 headed into the fifth inning.
 
The Falcons though kept the scoring going in the top of the fifth. After a ground out, Matt Luchovick hit a single down the left field line. Jarrett Gordon then hit a two-run home run to left field to push the Falcons lead to 8-5.
 
The back-and-forth battle continued as the Mustangs scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth to tie the game at eight headed into the sixth inning.
 
The Falcons continued their great offensive game in the top of the sixth. Nick Moyer led off the inning with a solo home run to left to give the Falcons a 9-8 lead. Isaiah Parido singled and then Dylan Beard hit a double to put runners on second and third with no outs. After a Drew Hurst walk, Evan Wagaman walked to score a run and give the Falcons a two-run lead. After a strikeout, Jarrett Gordon hit an RBI ground out to increase the Falcons lead to three. The Falcons would go on to add three more runs in the inning off four straight walks from David Martinez, Dustin Isanogle, Nick Moyer, and Isaiah Parido to give the Falcons a 14-8 lead.
 
After a scoreless bottom of the sixth, the Falcons added another run on a RBI double from Matt Luchovick to push the Falcons lead to 15-8 headed into the final frame.
 
The Mustangs added two runs in the bottom of the seventh, but the Falcons lead was too large, and Messiah earned the 15-10 win.
 
Stats
Matt Luchovick led the Falcons with four hits, including a home run, and four RBIs. Dylan Beard, Jarrett Gordon, and Nick Moyer each tallied two hits. Isaiah Parido, Evan Wagaman, and David Martinez each added a hit. Christian Foltz started for the Falcons, pitching four innings, allowing five unearned runs, on five hits, two walks, and seven strikeouts. Noah Barrall earned the win pitching 2.1 innings, allowing two unearned runs, on three hits, two walks, and three strikeouts.
 
Messiah 17, Stevenson 1 - Final 7 Innings
The Falcons looked to start the game strong after a lead off Isaiah Parido walk. After Parido stole second, Dylan Beard hit an infield single to put runners on the corners with no outs. Drew Hurst then hit another infield single to give the Falcons the 1-0 lead. The Mustangs though limited the damage, not allowing another Falcons' run in the inning.
 
After a scoreless bottom of the first, the Falcons bats looked to add to their lead. With two outs, David Martinez kept the inning alive with a single to left field. Nick Moyer then ripped an RBI double to push the Falcons lead to 2-0.
 
The Falcons kept the hitting going in the top of the third. Dylan Beard and Drew Hurst hit back-to-back singles to open the inning. Evan Wagaman then hit an RBI double down the left field line to push the Falcons lead to three. After two quick outs, Luke Ott hit a two-RBI double to increase the Falcons lead to five. David Martinez added a RBI double and Isaiah Parido hit an RBI single to extend the Falcons lead to 7-0 after the top of the third.
 
After a scoreless fourth inning, the Falcons looked to extend their lead even more in the top of the fifth. David Martinez led off the inning with a walk and after a fly out advanced to second on a wild pitch. After a ground out, Carter Reid hit an RBI single to give the Falcons an eight-run lead. Drew Hurst followed the RBI single with one of his own to push the Falcons lead to nine. The Falcons added five more runs in the inning on an Rbi single from Matt Luchovick, an RBI double from Cristian Reyna, a two-RBI double from Luke Ott and an RBI single from Nick Moyer to give the Falcons a commanding 14-0 lead.
 
Zachary Harris continued to dominate in the bottom of the fifth, pitching another scoreless inning to get the Falcons hot bats back up to the plate in the top of the sixth. The Falcons and Mustangs however did not add any runs, and the score remained 14-0 headed into the seventh inning.
 
The Falcons added three more runs in the top of the seventh on a two-RBI single from Landon Mark and an RBI single from Carter Reid.
 
The Mustangs scored a run in the seventh, but Roman Mastramico got the final out to seal the Falcons 17-1 win.
 
Stats
Drew Hurst led the Falcons offense with three hits and two RBIs. Dylan Beard, Carter Reid, Matt Luchovick, Cristian Reyna, Luke Ott, David Martinez, and Nick Moyer all totaled two hits. Zachary Harris earned the win pitching 5.1 scoreless innings, allowing on two hits and striking out eight Mustang batters. Jadyn Martin pitched 0.2 with two strikeouts.
 
Next
The Falcons travel to Annville, Pa. to take on the Flying Dutchmen of Lebanon Valley College on Tuesday, April 1 at 3:30 p.m.