Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – The Arcadia University dropped both ends of a doubleheader on Thursday afternoon to visiting Messiah College by scores of 2-1 and 6-5. The Knights had a chance to tie the game in game one in the bottom of the seventh as they had a runner on third with no outs, but could not produce a clutch hit to plate the tying run. Game two went to extra innings and Messiah scored the go-ahead run because of a fielding error to earn the sweep of the doubleheader and of the series.

With the losses, Arcadia falls to 3-13 overall and 2-7 in Commonwealth Conference play as Messiah improves to 8-6 overall and 6-3 in the Commonwealth.

Game 1: Messiah 2, Arcadia 1
In game one, hits came at a premium for both teams as Messiah finished with only five and Arcadia finished with only four.

Messiah threatened in the first inning after senior leadoff batter Casey Ebersole (Manheim, Pa.) got on by way of a fielding error. After a strikeout, junior Derek Drake (Chesterfield, Va.) doubled down the line, and sophomore Ben Sollenberger (Gainesville, Fla.) was hit by a pitch to load the bases with only one out. Freshman starter John Lloyd (Reading, Pa.) settled down and struck out the next two to strike out the side and end the threat.

Arcadia took that momentum to the bottom half where they were able to strike first in the contest. Senior Elliott Freeman (Bangor, Pa.) hit a two-out ground-rule double down the right field line and classmate Jay Zehring (Manassas, Va.) was able to score Freeman after trading places with him on a double of his own to score Arcadia's only run of the ballgame.

The Falcons took no time to tie up the game as they scored a run in the very next half inning. A hit by pitch started the inning and then on what could have been a double play turned into a fielder's choice and a throwing error to advance junior Jon Heisey (Mount Joy, Pa.) to second base. Heisey advanced to third on a groundout back to the pitcher and then scored on a hit from Ebersole to knot the game at one.

Messiah then scored the go-ahead run in the fourth inning after a two-out walk followed by a single and another walk, which loaded the bases. Ebersole fouled out in the next at-bat, but because of a catcher's interference called by the umpire, Ebersole was awarded first base and senior David Sletta (Griggstown, N.J.) came around to score.

That proved to be enough for the Falcons as Arcadia's bats fell silent after the second inning. After the second inning, 11 Knights were set down in order until a double from sophomore Michael Nessel (Stuart, Fla.) in the fifth inning, but a flyout and a strikeout would then end the inning.

Arcadia had its chances in the final inning after sophomore Connor Arsenault (Medford, N.J.) led off the inning with a double to left center. Classmate Dan Shiramizu (Salt Lake City, Utah) pinch ran for him and stole third to be only 90 feet away from tying the game. However, Messiah brought the infield in and two consecutive groundballs directly to the shortstop followed by a strikeout could not put across Shiramizu, and ended the game.

Lloyd was credited with the loss, dropping his record to 1-2, after giving up both runs (none earned) on five hits and two walks, while striking out six in his six innings on the hill. Despite the two losses on the year, Lloyd has not given up an earned run all season to maintain a 0.00 ERA in 18.0 innings of work.

For the Falcons, senior Jon Lapp (Gap, Pa.) went the distance on the mound to pick up his first win of the year and even his record at 1-1. In his seven innings, Lapp dominated on the mound, scattering four hits and no walks while striking out 12 batters.

Game 2: Messiah 6, Arcadia 5 (8 inn.)

Once again, Arcadia put runs up on the board first in the bottom of the first inning. Two consecutive walks to lead off the inning put junior Tom Wagner (Somerdale, N.J.) on second and senior Justin Simpson (Centreville, Pa.) on first. Freeman then blasted a double down the left field line to score both Simpson and Wagner. Zehring then flew out to center, but a groundball by Nessel grounded out to third and advanced Freeman to third. Sophomore George Pagan (Old Bridge, N.J.) singled to center field to score Freeman and give the Knights an early 3-0 lead.

Both offenses could not produce a run until the fourth inning when the Falcons would cut the lead to one. Senior Jacob Sprengle (Williamstown, N.J.) led off the inning with a double and was able to score in the very next at-bat after a groundball from junior Isaiah Shipman (Selinsgrove, Pa.) caused a fielding error and throwing error on the same play. Shipman ended up on second because of the play. He then advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt and would score after a double from sophomore Joseph Saufley (Hershey, Pa.).

The sixth inning proved to be a big inning for both teams as Messiah took the lead in the top half. They were able to score three runs on three hits and two errors. The Falcons scored the tying run after Saufley executed a perfect suicide squeeze to score sophomore Andrew Eyster (Northumberland, Pa.). Another bunt proved to be trouble as Nessel made an errant throw which then scored Heisey to give Messiah its first lead of the game. The Falcons then made it a two run lead after an error by Freeman, which scored Saufley.

Despite giving up three in the top half, the Knights responded in the bottom half by tying up the game. With one out, Nessel was hit by a pitch and Pagan walked to runners on first and second. After a pitching change, Arsenault fouled out to make it two outs. In the next at-bat, freshman Justin Chasmar (Barnegat, N.J.) produced a clutch two-out single to right field to score Nessel and cut the lead to one. Pagan would then score the tying run because of a passed ball.

The two teams could not push across a run in the seventh inning, even though Arcadia had a runner in scoring position, and that sent the game to extra innings.

Messiah scored the go-ahead run in the eighth inning with two outs. With one out, junior Zach Brubaker (Lancaster, Pa.) singled down the right field line and stole second base. Drake then moved him over to third on a groundout. In the very next at-bat, Sollenberger hit a weak pop-up behind the infield grass, but Freeman could not handle it, which would have ended the inning, but instead scored Brubaker from third.

The Knights would be struck out in order in the bottom of the eighth to end the game and lose their fourth game in a row.

Nessel went seven innings on the hill in a no-decision after surrendering five runs on eight hits and three walks with four strikeouts.

Freshman Connor Travis (Berlin, N.J.) suffered the loss after giving up one unearned run in the eighth inning on one hit in his one inning of relief. The loss drops his record to 0-2.

For the Falcons, freshman John Griffitts (North East, Md.) picked up the win in his two innings of no-hit baseball, only giving up two walks while striking out four. The win improved his record to 2-0.

Freeman led Arcadia offensively after ending the day a combined 2-for-6 for both games and driving in two while also crossing home plate two times.

The Knights will try to get back on track once again tomorrow when they host Immaculata University for a single non-conference game at Erny Field with first pitch scheduled for 4 p.m.