GRANTHAM, Pa. – On Saturday afternoon, the Messiah University baseball team earned a pair of wins over the Blazers of Hood College.
In game one, neither offense could get going until the Falcons scored three runs in the top of the sixth to take a 3-0 lead. The Falcons added three more in the seventh to earn the 6-0 win. The story of game one though was
Christian Foltz's perfect game on the mound for the Falcons. Foltz struck out nine batters and got the final out of the perfect game on a lineout to third.
Matt Luchovick led the Falcons with two hits, including a home run, and three RBIs.
Nick Moyer hit a two-run home run and
Isaiah Parido added a solo home run.
In game two, the Falcons scored three runs in the top of the second to take an early 3-0 lead. The Falcons added two more in the third to extend their lead to five. The Blazers cut the Falcons lead to four with a run in the fifth. The Falcons outscored the Blazers, 5-1 in the final four innings to earn the 10-2 win.
Drew Hurst,
Matt Luchovick,
Isaiah Parido, and
Carter Reid each totaled two hits and two RBIs.
Landon Mark tallied two hits and two runs.
Daniel Knight earned the win on the mound for the Falcons, pitching seven innings, allowing two runs on four hits, a walk, and six strikeouts
Up next, the Falcons host the Blazers of Hood College on Sunday, March 28 at 3:30 p.m.
Game One: Messiah 6, Hood 0
After two scoreless innings, the Falcons looked to get on the board in the top of the third.
Matt Luchovick hit a leadoff double and then
Kyler Parks reached on a hit by pitch. The Blazers though got three-straight outs to get out of the jam and keep the game scoreless.
After a couple more scoreless innings from
Christian Foltz on the mound, the Falcons looked to take the lead in the top of the sixth. After a strikeout,
Nick Moyer walked to give the Falcons a one-out base runner. After a fielder's choice,
Landon Mark singled to extend the inning.
Matt Luchovick then hit a go-ahead three-run home run down the left field line to give the Falcons a 3-0 lead.
After another scoreless frame from Foltz in the bottom of the sixth the Falcons looked to extend their lead in the top of the seventh.
Isaiah Parido led off the inning with a home run to right to give the Falcons a 4-0 lead.
Cristian Reyna walked and after he stole second,
Nick Moyer hit a two-run home run to push the Falcons lead to 6-0.
Through six innings,
Christian Foltz had not allowed a base runner and looked to finish off the perfect game in the bottom of the seventh. Foltz quickly got two outs with a fly out to center and ground out to second. Foltz got the final out on a lineout to third to give him the perfect game on 94 pitches and nine strikeouts.
Stats
Christian Foltz threw a perfect game with nine strikeouts on 94 pitches.
Matt Luchovick led the Falcons with two hits, including a home run, and three RBIs.
Nick Moyer hit a two-run home run and
Isaiah Parido added a solo home run.
Game Two: Messiah 10, Hood 2
After a scoreless first, the Falcons looked to take an early lead in the top of the second. With one out,
Carter Reid walked and then
Landon Mark reached on an error by the Blazers' center fielder to give the Falcons' runners on first and second with one out. After Reid stole third, Mark stole second and Reid scored on an error to give the Falcons a 1-0 lead.
Brayden Kratz then walked and stole second. While Kratz was stealing second, Mark stole home to give the Falcons a 2-0 lead. After a fly out,
Isaiah Parido hit an RBI double to left center to give the Falcons a 3-0 lead.
The Falcons looked to continue the momentum at the plate and add to their lead in the top of the third.
Drew Hurst led off the inning and then
David Martinez walked to give the Falcons a runner on first and second with one out. After the two runners advanced on a wild pitch,
Carter Reid hit a two-RBI single to give the Falcons a 5-0 lead.
After a scoreless inning and a half, the Blazers scored a run in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI ground out to cut the Falcons lead to 5-1 through five innings of play.
After a scoreless sixth, the Falcons scored a run off a Blazers error to take a 6-1 lead headed into the bottom of the seventh.
The Blazers answered back in the bottom of the seventh with a run to cut the Falcons lead to 6-2.
The Falcons looked to once again add to their lead in the top of the eighth.
Landon Mark led off the innings with a single. After a strikeout,
Matt Luchovick hit a pinch-hit RBI double to left center to push the Falcons lead to five.
Isaiah Parido then traded places with Luchovick with an RBI double of his own to give the Falcons an 8-2 lead.
Drew Hurst capped off the scoring for the Falcons in the inning with an RBI single to give the Falcons a 9-2 lead headed into the bottom of the eighth.
After a scoreless bottom of the eighth. The Falcons added a run in the ninth on an RBI double from
Matt Luchovick to give the Falcons a 10-2 lead.
Julian Butler pitched a scoreless ninth to close the Falcons 10-2 win.
Stats
Drew Hurst,
Matt Luchovick,
Isaiah Parido, and
Carter Reid each totaled two hits and two RBIs.
Landon Mark tallied two hits and two runs.
Daniel Knight earned the win on the mound for the Falcons, pitching seven innings, allowing two runs on four hits, a walk, and six strikeouts.
Julian Butler and
Owen Thornton each pitched a scoreless inning out of the pen for the Falcons.
Next
The Falcons host the Blazers of Hood College on Sunday, March 28 at 3:30 p.m.
