By: Courtesy of Messiah Athletic Communications

GRANTHAM, Pa. - On Sunday afternoon, the Messiah University baseball team used two dominant efforts to earn the 2025 MAC Commonwealth Championship for the first time since 2012.
In game one, the Falcons jumped to an early 2-0 lead with a run in the first and the second inning. The Falcons then scored three in the third and four runs in the fourth to take a 9-0 lead. The Falcons added another run in the fifth to take a 10-0 lead. The Spartans scored a run in the sixth, but the Falcons added another in the eighth to earn the 11-1 win. Jason Long pitched six innings, allowing one unearned run, on four hits, two walks, and six strikeouts. Isaiah Parido led the Falcons with four hits, including a solo home run, and three runs scored. Evan Wagaman totaled two home runs, with three RBIs, and three runs scored. Nick Moyer added two hits, an RBI, and a run scored.
In game two, the Falcons got an early lead with a solo home run from Isaiah Parido to take a 1-0 lead. The Falcons added two more runs in the bottom of the third to take a 3-0 lead. The Falcons then added five more runs in the bottom of the seventh to jump to an 8-0. The combination of Daniel Knight and Noah Barrall shut down the Spartans offense the whole game and the Falcons earned the 8-0 win and their sixth conference championship in program history. Drew Hurst led the Falcons offense with two hits and two RBIs. Jarrett Gordon and Nick Moyer each tallied two hits. Isaiah Parido added a solo home run. Daniel Knight was brilliant on the mound, pitching seven scoreless innings, allowing five hits and striking out four York batters.
 
Up next, the Falcons earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament and will find out on Monday at 12:00 p.m. on NCAA.com, where they will be playing their regional games next weekend.

Game One: Messiah 11, York 1
After a 1-2-3 top of the first, the Falcons looked to get on the board in the bottom of the first. Isaiah Parido led off the bottom half with a double down the left-field line. After Parido advanced to third on a wild pitch, Parido then scored on another wild pitch to give the Falcons a 1-0 lead.
 
After the Falcons worked around two York base runners in the top of the second, the Messiah offense looked to get back to work. After two quick outs, Nick Moyer kept the inning alive with a single. David Martinez then ripped an RBI double into the right center field gap to push the Falcons lead to 2-0 through two innings.
 
After another scoreless inning from Jason Long on the mound for the Falcons, the Messiah offense looked to keep the momentum going. Isaiah Parido led off the inning with a solo home run to right center to push the Falcons lead to three. After Drew Hurst reached on an error, Evan Wagaman hit a two-run home run for the Falcons second homer of the inning to give Messiah a 5-0 lead.
 
The Spartans looked like they were going to get on the board with bases loaded and one out in the top of the fourth. Jason long then forced a 4-6-3 double play to get the Falcons out of the jam.
 
With the momentum in their favor, the Falcons looked to extend their lead even more in the bottom of the fourth. Isaiah Parido led off the inning with a single and then Jarrett Gordon singled to put runners on first and second with no outs. After a Drew Hurst sac bunt and an Evan Wagaman intentional walk, Dylan Beard drew a bases loaded walk to push the Falcons lead to 6-0. Luke Ott then hit a two-RBI single into right center field to give the Falcons an eight-run lead. Nick Moyer brought in the final run of the inning on a sacrifice fly to give the Falcons a 9-0 lead through four innings of play.
 
After another shutdown inning from Long, the Falcons added a run on a Drew Hurst sacrifice fly to give the Falcons a 10-0 lead through five innings.
 
Both teams scored a run in the final three and half innings and the Falcons earned the 11-1 win and a chance to win the MAC Commonwealth Championship in game three.
 
Stats
Jason Long pitched six innings, allowing one unearned run, on four hits, two walks, and six strikeouts. Isaiah Parido led the Falcons with four hits, including a solo home run, and three runs scored. Evan Wagaman totaled two home runs, with three RBIs, and three runs scored. Nick Moyer added two hits, an RBI, and a run scored. Drew Dellinger earned the save with three shutout innings out of the bullpen with a strikeout.
 
Game Two: Messiah 8, York 0
After a scoreless inning from the Spartans in the top of the first, the Falcons looked to get another strong start in game three of the series. Isaiah Parido did just that with a solo bomb to give the Falcons the 1-0 lead through the first inning.
 
After a scoreless second and top of the third, the Falcons looked to extend their lead in the bottom of the third. Dustin Isanogle led off the inning with a single and then Isaiah Parido reached on a hit by pitch to give the Falcons two base runners with no outs. Jarrett Gordon then loaded the bases on a fielder's choice, after York tried getting the lead out at third on a bunt attempt. Drew Hurst then hit a two-RBI single down the right-field line to push the Falcons lead to 3-0. The Falcons though could not add any more runs and took the three-run lead into the fourth.
 
Both pitchers continued to pitch well, with Daniel Knight continuing his dominance with four more scoreless innings, before the bottom of the seventh.
 
The Falcons looked to try and add more insurance runs in the bottom of the seventh with the three-run lead. After one out, Isaiah Parido reached on an error and then Jarrett Gordon and Drew Hurst hit back-to-back singles to load the bases with one out. Evan Wagaman them drew a walk to bring in a run and extend the Falcons lead to four. After a strikeout, Luke Ott hit a two-RBI double down the right-field line to push the Falcons lead to 6-0. Nick Moyer then scored two runs on a throwing error by the York shortstop to give the Falcons an 8-0 lead with two innings remaining.
 
Noah Barrall shut down the York offense in the final two innings and the Falcons earned their sixth conference championship in program history with the 8-0 win.
 
Stats
Drew Hurst led the Falcons offense with two hits and two RBIs. Jarrett Gordon and Nick Moyer each tallied two hits. Isaiah Parido added a solo home run. Daniel Knight was brilliant on the mound, pitching seven scoreless innings, allowing five hits and striking out four York batters.

Next
The Falcons earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament and will find out on Monday at 12:00 p.m. on NCAA.com, where they will be playing their regional games next weekend.