HARRISONBURG, Va. – On Thursday afternoon, the fifteenth-ranked Messiah University baseball team used multiple big innings to defeat the Royals of Eastern Mennonite, 17-1 for their first win of the 2026 season. After a scoreless first inning, the Falcons scored four in the second to take a 4-0 lead. The Falcons continued to bring in runs with another four spot in the third to extend their lead to 8-0. After the Royals scored a run in the bottom of the third, the Falcons scored five runs in the fourth to extend their lead to 13-1. The Falcons scored four more runs in the fifth and after a scoreless bottom half, the game was called due to darkness, and the Falcons earned the 17-1 win. David Martinez led the Falcons with three hits and four RBIs. Nick Moyer totaled two hits, two RBIs, and four runs scored. Brayden Burkholder and Drew Hurst each tallied two hits and an RBI. Devin Aponte pitched five innings in his first career start with five hits allowed, one earned run, three walks, and five strikeouts.
 
Up next, the Falcons travel to Newport News, Va. to take on the twenty-second ranked Captains of Christopher Newport on Friday, Feb. 27 at 2:00 p.m. 

No. 15 Messiah 17, Eastern Mennonite 1
After a scoreless first, the Falcons looked to get on the board first in the top of the second. With one out, Brayden Burkholder hit a solo home run to center field to give the Falcons a 1-0 lead. Nick Moyer then singled and advanced to second on a wild pitch. After a lineout, Cristian Reyna reach on an error by the Royals third basemen to put runners on first and third with one out. After Reyna stole second and Isaiah Parido walked, David Martinez hit a two-RBI single to right field to give the Falcons a 3-0 lead. Drew Hurst then hit an RBI single to give the Falcons a 4-0 lead after the top of the second.
 
After a scoreless bottom of the second, the Falcons looked to add to their lead in the third inning. After a Brayden Burkholder walk, Nick Moyer and Matt Luchovick both walked to load the bases. The Royals changed pitchers, but the Falcons scored off a hit by pitch by Cristian Reyna and a two-RBI single from Isaiah Parido to give the Falcons a 7-0 lead. After Parido and Reyna stole second and third, David Martinez hit a sacrifice fly to give the Falcons an 8-0 lead.
 
The Royals scored a run in the bottom of third on an RBI single to cut the Falcons lead to 8-1.
 
The Falcons continued to add runs in the top of the fourth. After Micah Smith singled with one out, he advanced to second on a wild pitch, stole third, and then scored on a wild pitch to extend the Falcons lead to eight. The Falcons then stole three more runs on the inning off two Royals errors and a wild pitch to give the Falcons a commanding 13-1 lead.
 
After another scoreless inning from the Royals, the Falcons looked to continue to add to their lead in the top of the fifth. Joshua Boll led off the inning with a single and then Brayden Kratz walked to put runners on first and second with no outs. After both runners stole second and third, Nick Moyer hit a two-RBI single to push the Falcons lead to 14. Cristian Reyna later in the inning hit an RBI single to give the Falcons a 15-run lead. After a Kyler Parks single, David Martinez capped off the Falcons scoring with an RBI single to put the Falcons lead at 17-1.
 
Devin Aponte finished off his first start with a scoreless fifth inning. After the fifth, the game was called due to darkness, and the Falcons earned the 17-1 win.
 
Stats
David Martinez led the Falcons with three hits and four RBIs. Nick Moyer totaled two hits, two RBIs, and four runs scored. Brayden Burkholder and Drew Hurst each tallied two hits and an RBI. Isaiah Parido reached base twice, with a hit, two RBIs, and two runs scored. Devin Aponte pitched five innings in his first career start with five hits allowed, one earned run, three walks, and five strikeouts.
 
Next
The Falcons travel to Newport News, Va. to take on the twenty-second ranked Captains of Christopher Newport on Friday, Feb. 27 at 2:00 p.m.