SALISBURY, Md. – On Friday afternoon, the Messiah University baseball team defeated the eighth-ranked Sea Gulls of Salisbury University, 4-1 in game one of the NCAA Tournament Super Regionals. The Falcons and Sea Gulls both held each other off the board through five innings, with Zachary Harris having another dominate start on the bump for the Falcons. In the top of the sixth, the Falcons got on the board with a solo home run to dead center from Evan Wagaman to give the Falcons the 1-0 lead. In the top of the seventh, the Falcons added three more runs to extend their lead to 4-0. The Sea Gulls scored a run in the bottom of the seventh, but Drew Dellinger left the bases loaded to hold onto the Falcons 4-1 lead. Noah Barrall got out of a bases loaded jam of his own in the bottom of the eighth and worked a scoreless ninth to earn the save and give the Falcons the 4-1 win. Isaiah Parido, Jarrett Gordon, and David Martinez each led the Falcons with two hits. Evan Wagaman hit a solo home run and with the home run, Wagaman now holds the single-season home run record for the Falcons with 12 homers. Zachary Harris was brilliant on the mound again for the Falcons going 6.2 innings, allowing one run on six hits, a walk, and six strikeouts. Noah Barrall earned the save pitching two scoreless innings for the Falcons.
 
Up next, the Falcons take on No. 8 Salisbury University in game two of the NCAA Tournament Super Regionals on Saturday, May 24 at 11:00 a.m. If Salisbury wins game two, the two teams will play another game 45 minutes after game two is concluded.
 
 
Messiah 4, Salisbury 1
The Falcons looked to take an early lead in the top of the first with a one-out single from Jarrett Gordon. After a strikeout, Evan Wagaman and Drew Beard reached on walks to load the bases with two outs. The Sea Gulls though got out of the inning forcing a line out to keep the game scoreless.
 
The Falcons once again got a runner in scoring position in the second with a double from David Martinez, but once again the Sea Gulls pitcher got out of the jam to keep the game scoreless through two.
 
Zachary Harris continued his dominance in the NCAA Tournament through three innings, facing the minimum hitters with two strikeouts and a walk.
 
After two more scoreless innings, the Falcons looked to get on the board in the top of the sixth. With an out and after falling into an 0-2 count Evan Wagaman drilled a solo home run to dead center to give the Falcons a 1-0 lead through six innings.
 
After another scoreless inning from Zachary Harris on the mound for the Falcons in the bottom of the sixth, the Falcons bats looked to extend their lead in the top of the seventh. Nick Moyer led off the inning with a single and then David Martinez advanced him to second on a sacrifice bunt. Dustin Isanogle walked and then Isaiah Parido hit an infield single to load the bases for the Falcons with one out. Jarrett Gordon then ripped an RBI single through the right side, but a throwing error from the Sea Gulls allowed Isanogle to score as well and the Falcons took a 3-0 lead. Drew Hurst then hit a sacrifice fly to right to give the Falcons a 4-0 lead headed to the bottom of the seventh.
 
The Falcons allowed a run in the bottom of the seventh on an RBI single, but Drew Dellinger got out of the bases loaded jam with a line out to limit the damage to one in the inning.
 
After two quick outs in the bottom of the eighth, the Sea Gulls looked for a rally in the bottom of the eighth. Salisbury loaded the bases, but Noah Barrall got out of the jam with a fielder's choice to third to hold onto the Falcons 4-1 lead.
 
Barrall worked out of trouble in the bottom of the ninth to and he earned the save to give the Falcons the 4-1 win.
 
Stats
Isaiah Parido, Jarrett Gordon, and David Martinez each led the Falcons with two hits. Evan Wagaman hit a solo home run and with the home run, Wagaman now holds the single-season home run record for the Falcons with 12 homers. Zachary Harris was brilliant on the mound again for the Falcons going 6.2 innings, allowing one run on six hits, a walk, and six strikeouts. Noah Barrall earned the save pitching two scoreless innings for the Falcons. Drew Dellinger pitched 0.1 innings but got the Falcons out of a jam in the bottom of the seventh to hold the lead.
 
Next
The Falcons take on No. 8 Salisbury University in game two of the NCAA Tournament Super Regionals on Saturday, May 24 at 11:00 a.m. If Salisbury wins game two, the two teams will play another game 45 minutes after game two is concluded.