GRANTHAM, Pa. – On Friday afternoon, the Messiah University baseball team defeated the Pride of Widener University in two games in the Championship Series to win their second-straight MAC Commonwealth Championship and seventh Conference Championship in program history.
In game one, the Pride opened the scoring with a solo home run in the top of the first. The Falcons answered back with two runs in the bottom of the first to take a 2-1 lead. After two scoreless innings, the Pride tied the game with a run in the top of the fourth. The Falcons responded with a solo home run to take a 3-2 through four innings. The Falcons then scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth to take a 7-2 lead. The Falcons added three more runs in the bottom of the seventh to extend their lead to 10-2. Each team scored a run in the eighth and the Falcons threw a scoreless ninth to give the Falcons the 11-3 win in game one.
Landon Mark led the Falcons with three hits and four RBIs.
Carter Reid totaled two hits and three RBIs.
Nick Moyer and
Cristian Reyna each added two hits and an RBI.
Christian Foltz earned the win, pitching 7.2 innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits and six strikeouts.
In game two, the Falcons opened the game with a two-run home run in the bottom of the first to give the Falcons a 2-0 lead. The Pride answered back with a run in the top of the second to cut the Falcons lead to 2-1. Both teams' pitchers then settled into the game with neither team adding another run with
Devin Aponte and
Trey Harper combining for seven scoreless innings to close the game to give the Falcons the 2-1 win.
Drew Hurst led the Falcons with two hits, including a two-run home run.
David Martinez totaled two hits.
Isaiah Parido added a hit and a run scored.
Devin Aponte earned the win on the mound, pitching five innings, allowing one run on three hits and four strikeouts.
Trey Harper earned the save with four scoreless innings out of the bullpen with six strikeouts.
With the win, the Falcons will earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament and will find out where they are traveling to for Regionals during the selection show on Monday, May 11 at 12:00 p.m. on
NCAA.com.
Game One: Messiah 11, Widener 3
In the top of the first, the Pride opened the game with a solo home run to take a 1-0 lead.
The Falcons looked to answer the Pride's run in the bottom of the first.
Isaiah Parido led off the game with a walk. After a pair of outs,
Landon Mark hit an opposite field two-run home run to give the Falcons a 2-1 lead.
After a pair of scoreless innings, the Pride hit another solo home run in the top of the fourth to tie the game at two.
The Falcons looked to retake the lead in the bottom of the fourth. With two outs,
Nick Moyer hit a solo home run to give the Falcons a 3-2 through four innings.
The Falcons looked to extend their lead in the bottom of the sixth.
Cristian Reyna and
Drew Hurst led off the inning with back-to-back singles.
Landon Mark then hit an RBI single up the middle to give the Falcons a 4-2 lead.
Carter Reid then hit a two-RBI double to push the Falcons lead to 6-2. After Reid stole third,
Matt Luchovick hit a sacrifice fly to right center to give the Falcons a 7-2 lead headed into the seventh inning.
After another scoreless inning from
Christian Foltz on the mound, the Falcons looked to add to their lead in the bottom of the seventh.
Isaiah Parido led off the inning with a walk and after a fly out, advanced to second on a wild pitch. After a
Drew Hurst walk,
Landon Mark hit an RBI double to give the Falcons an 8-2 lead.
Carter Reid then brought in another run with a sacrifice fly to left to push the Falcons lead to seven. After a
Nick Moyer single,
Landon Mark scored on a wild pitch to give the Falcons a 10-2 lead headed into the eighth.
The Pride scored a run in the top of the eighth to cut the Falcons lead to 10-3 headed into the bottom of the eighth.
The Falcons added a run in the bottom of the eighth on a solo home run from
Cristian Reyna to give the Falcons an 11-3 lead headed into the final frame.
Zachary Harris pitched a scoreless ninth to give the Falcons the 11-3 win.
Stats
Landon Mark led the Falcons with three hits and four RBIs.
Carter Reid totaled two hits and three RBIs.
Nick Moyer and
Cristian Reyna each added two hits and an RBI.
Christian Foltz earned the win, pitching 7.2 innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits and six strikeouts.
Zachary Harris pitched 1.1 scoreless innings out of the pen with a strikeout.
Game Two: Messiah 2, Widener 1
The Falcons looked to start game two strong after a scoreless top of the first.
Isaiah Parido led off the game with a double to right center. After a pop out,
Drew Hurst hit a no-doubt two-run home run to give the Falcons a 2-0 lead.
The Pride answered with a run in the top of the second on an RBI double to cut the Falcons lead to 2-1.
After two scoreless innings, the Pride looked to score in the top of the fifth. The Pride loaded the bases with two outs, but
Devin Aponte got out of the jam with a ground out to
Drew Hurst to keep the Falcons lead at 2-1.
After three scoreless innings from
Trey Harper out of the bullpen, the Pride looked for one final chance to tie the game in the top of the ninth. The Pride had a runner second with no outs and runners on first and second with one out, but
Trey Harper got the final two outs on a diving catch by
Isaiah Parido in center and a strikeout to give the Falcons the 2-1 win and their second-straight MAC Commonwealth Championship.
Stats
Drew Hurst led the Falcons with two hits, including a two-run home run.
David Martinez totaled two hits.
Isaiah Parido added a hit and a run scored.
Devin Aponte earned the win on the mound, pitching five innings, allowing one run on three hits and four strikeouts.
Trey Harper earned the save with four scoreless innings out of the bullpen with six strikeouts.
Next
With the win, the Falcons will earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament and will find out where they are traveling to for Regionals during the selection show on Monday, May 11 at 12:00 p.m. on
NCAA.com.
