GRANTHAM, Pa. – On Saturday afternoon, the Messiah University baseball team used a strong offensive performance to defeat the Pride of Widener University, 10-6 to advance to the MAC Commonwealth Championship series. The Pride and Falcons both scored three runs in the second to keep the game tied. After two scoreless innings, the Pride scored two in the top of the fifth, but the Falcons answered back with four in the bottom of the fifth to take a 7-5 lead. The Pride cut the Falcons lead to one in the top of the eighth, but the Falcons added three more runs in the bottom of the eighth to give the Falcons the 10-6 win. Drew Hurst led the Falcons offense with two hits and two RBIs. Jarrett Gordon added two hits, including a solo home run. Dylan Beard and Evan Wagaman each added two hits. Luke Ott and Dustin Isanogle each added a hit and two RBIs.

Up next, the Falcons take on the Spartans of York College in the MAC Commonwealth Championship series at Houck Field with games one and two on Friday, May 9 starting at 12:00 p.m.

Messiah 10, Widener 6
After a scoreless first inning, the Pride started the scoring with three runs in the top of the second to take the early lead.
 
The Falcons though looked to respond in the bottom of the second. Evan Wagaman led off the inning with a single to the short stop and then Dylan Beard doubled to center field to put runners on second and third with no outs. After Luke Ott walked, and a strikeout, Nick Moyer hit an RBI fielder's choice to reduce the Pride lead to two. Dustin Isanogle then ripped a two-RBI double to tie the game at three through two innings.
 
Daniel Knight then settled into the game throwing two more scoreless innings before the top of the fifth.
 
The Pride added two more runs in the top of the fifth to take a two-run lead, but Trey Harper limited the damage with a strikeout to end the threat.
 
The Falcons looked to respond quickly and did that with a lead off solo home run from Jarrett Gordon to reduce the Pride's lead to one. Drew Hurst then singled up the middle to put a runner on first with no outs. After a pop out, Dylan Beard singled into left field to put two runners on for Luke Ott. Ott then drilled a two-RBI double to center field to give the Falcons a 6-5 lead. After a pop out, Ott stole third and the Pride's catcher made an error and Ott came home to score and give the Falcons a 7-5 lead.
 
After two more scoreless innings, the Pride cut the Falcons lead to one in the top of the eighth with an RBI single.
 
Like the other innings before, the Falcons looked to answer the scoring form the Pride in the bottom of the eighth. After a fly out, Nick Moyer singled to third and then Dustin Isanogle reached on an error to put runners on first and second with one out. After Isaiah Parido loaded the bases and a strikeout, Drew Hurst hit a two-RBI single to push the Falcons lead to 9-6. Evan Wagaman then hit an RBI ground-rule double to left field to give the Falcons a 10-6 lead headed into the ninth.
 
Noah Barrall pitched a 1-2-3 top of the ninth to earn the two-inning save and give the Falcons the 10-6 win to advance to the MAC Commonwealth Championship series.
 
Stats
Drew Hurst led the Falcons offense with two hits and two RBIs. Jarrett Gordon added two hits, including a solo home run. Dylan Beard and Evan Wagaman each added two hits. Luke Ott and Dustin Isanogle each added a hit and two RBIs. Trey Harper earned the win with 2.2 scoreless innings out the bullpen. Noah Barrall earned the save, pitching two innings, allowing one run, on one hit and three strikeouts.
 
Next
The Falcons take on the Spartans of York College in the MAC Commonwealth Championship series at Houck Field with games one and two on Friday, May 9 starting at 12:00 p.m.