GRANTHAM, Pa. – The Arcadia University baseball team was an 8-1 winner in the first game of Sunday's MAC Commonwealth doubleheader at Messiah College before falling in a 1-0 pitcher's duel in game-two.
 
FOR THE RECORD: The Knights are now 26-9 overall and 13-5 in MAC Commonwealth play this season. The Falcons record now stands at 11-21 overall and 5-13 in league play.
 
PLAYOFF PICTURE: The Knights are now a half-game in front of Alvernia for first place in the MAC Commonwealth standings after the Crusaders dropped both ends of a doubleheader at Stevenson Sunday; the rubber match will take place Monday at Alvernia. The winner of this coming weekend's three-game series between Arcadia and Alvernia will be the top-seed in the 2017 MAC Commonwealth Championship Tournament, which will take place May 4-6 at PeoplesBank Park in York.
 
GAME-ONE: ARCADIA 8, MESSIAH 1
 
ON THE HILL: Junior Ryan Ulrich improved to 2-0 on the hill after scattering three hits and two walks while fanning three batters in 3.1 innings of scoreless relief. Freshman starter Jeremy Sabathne didn't factor in the decision after allowing one run on four hits and two walks over the first 3.2 innings of the game. John Griffitts fell to 2-4 after giving up eight runs (four earned) on 12 hits in his 5.2 innings of work.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED: The Knights scored the only two runs they would need on senior Justin Chasmar's double to the opposite field that pushed across sophomore's Bryan Gillen and Luke Hohenstein in the bottom of the first. Arcadia scored two more times in the top of the fourth on an infield single and an error before Messiah got on the board in the bottom half of the frame on Ryan Adamus' single to center. Arcadia pulled away with four more runs in the top of the sixth for the 8-1 final.
 
ARCADIA AT BAT: Sophomore Nick Ponente was a perfect 3 for 3 at the dish with a double, an RBI and a run scored, while Gillen went 3 for 4 with two doubles, two runs scored and a run driven in. Chasmar finished 1 for 3 with a double, two RBI and a run scored, while Hohenstein went 2 for 5 with a double, two runs scored and a run driven in.
 
MESSIAH AT BAT: Sam Stewart was 1 for 2 with a run scored, while Adamus was 1 for 3 with an RBI.
 
GAME TWO: MESSIAH 1, ARCADIA 0
 
ON THE HILL: Brandon Shirk scattered four hits and seven walks while fanning four batters over 6.2 innings of work to improve to 3-0, while Drew Betz recorded the final out of the game to earn his fifth save. Junior Jake Lloyd (1-1) took the loss despite tossing a gem, allowing one run on four hits with eight strikeouts in the complete-game effort.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED: Hunter Bridle delivered the only run of the game with a one-out solo home run to center field in the bottom of the sixth. The Knights had a number of scoring opportunities throughout the game, stranding a runner in scoring position five times, including leaving the bases loaded in the top of the seventh.
 
ARCADIA AT BAT: Freshman Dylan Towey was 2 for 2 with a pair of singles. Chasmar was 1 for 3, while junior Drew Coisson was 1 for 2.
 
MESSIAH AT BAT: Bridle was 1 for 3 with a solo home run, while Adam Janney was 1 for 3 with a double.