GLENSIDE, Pa. – The Arcadia University baseball team split a pair of MAC Commonwealth games with Messiah College on Saturday afternoon at Erny Field, defeating the Falcons 6-3 in game one before falling 6-2 in the second game. The Knights are now 14-9-1 overall and 5-3 in MAC Commonwealth play, while the Falcons are 10-13 overall and 4-4 in conference play. The two teams will meet again on Monday in Grantham at 3:30 p.m. for the third and deciding game of the series.
GAME ONE: Arcadia 6, Messiah 3
HOW IT HAPPENED: Arcadia took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning after junior
Justin Chasmar doubled to center field to score classmate
Jordan Draude, but Messiah would make the score 2-1 in the top of the third to take its only lead of the game; Austin Mellinger scored on an error and Ben Sollenberger came home after Kyle Schoen lined a ball of Arcadia sophomore starter Michael Boulanger. The Knights tied things up in the bottom of the inning as Chasmar tripled to bring home senior
Nick Todero.
Arcadia took a 5-2 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning, starting when freshman
Bryan Gillen was walked on a bases-loaded situation, scoring fellow freshman
Luke Hohenstein. Todero would then hit a sacrifice fly out to center field to advance sophomore
Drew Coisson to third base and score freshman
Nick Ponente. On the next pitch Arcadia executed a double-steal, with Gillen swiping second and Coisson stealing home before the inning was ended on a ground out to third. The Falcons got a run back in the top of the sixth on Josh Good's RBI single up the middle, but the Knights answered when Ponente crossed home on a Messiah error in the bottom of the frame.
ON THE HILL: Boulanger improved to 2-2 for the Knights, striking out four batters in 5.1 innings before senior
Joseph Warren came on to pick up his second save of the season. The Falcons' John Griffitts fell to 2-1, walking four and allowing five earned runs in six innings of work.
ARCADIA AT BAT: Ponente was perfect at the plate, going 2 for 2 with a pair of singles and two runs scored, while Coisson was 2 for 3 with two singles and a run scored. Chasmar was also 2 for 3 with a double, a triple and two RBI.
MESSIAH AT BAT: Schoen went 2 for 3 with a run batted in, while Mellinger, Sollenberger and Kyle Wickenheiser all went 1 for 3 at the plate with a run scored.
GAME TWO: Messiah 6, Arcadia 2
HOW IT HAPPENED: The Falcons jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning, thanks to Joseph Saufley's two-run homer to right. The Knights wouldn't get on the board until the bottom of the third, when Draude dropped down a sacrifice bunt to the first baseman to score Coisson from third. A four-run sixth inning for Messiah put the Falcons up for good at 6-1; Good, Adam Janney and Jon Mullin each had an RBI double in the frame. Arcadia would score a final run in the bottom of the inning after senior
Steven Zellers reached on a fielder's choice as classmate
Michael Nessel advanced to second on a fielding error Mellinger, allowing Chasmar to come home.
ON THE HILL: Zach Luman improved to 4-2 for the Falcons after striking out six batters in 5.1 innings, while Drew Betz threw 1.2 scoreless innings. Senior
Jason Goldberg fell to 1-3 after allowing five earned runs, while sophomore
Connor Laigiae allowed one hit in 1.2 innings of relief.
ARCADIA AT BAT: Chasmar was 1 for 2 with a double and a run scored, while Coisson was 1 for 3 with a run scored and Gillen went 2 for 3 with a triple.
MESSIAH AT BAT: Wickenheiser was 2 for 3 with a walk and a run scored, while Janney was 2 for 4 with two doubles, one RBI and a run scored. Saufley went 1 for 4 with two RBI and a run scored on his first inning homerun.
