By: Messiah Athletics

EASTLAKE, Ohio – On Friday afternoon, the Messiah University baseball team used a 12 run third inning to propel Messiah to a 16-7 win over the top-ranked Blue Jays of Johns Hopkins. The Blue Jays got the on board first with two runs in the first and one in the second to take an early 3-0 lead. The Falcons bats then exploded for 12 runs in the top of the third, that started with a solo home run from Nick Moyer and ended with a two-RBI single from Drew Hurst. The Falcons scored eight runs in the inning before the Blue Jays even recorded an out. After a scoreless fourth, the Falcons added three more runs in the top of the fifth to extend their lead to 15-2. The Blue Jays though added two runs in the bottom of the sixth to reduce the Falcons lead to 10. The Falcons then extended their lead in the top of the seventh with a run to push their lead back to 11. The Blue Jays added two runs in the bottom of the ninth, but the Falcons lead was too strong and Messiah advances to the winner's bracket with the 16-7 win. Every batter in the Falcons lineup tallied a hit, with six Falcons having a multi-hit game. Isaiah Parido and Jarrett Gordon led the Falcons with three hits and three runs scored each. Drew Hurst and Luke Ott each tallied two hits and three RBIs. Dylan Beard and Nick Moyer each tallied two hits and an RBI.
 
Up next, the Falcons take on No. 4 Endicott College in the winner's bracket of the first bracket in the DIII College World Series on Saturday, May 31 at 1:15 p.m.

DIII College World Series: Game One: Messiah 16, No. 1 Johns Hopkins 7
The Blue Jays started the scoring with a two-run home run in the bottom the first to take a 2-0 lead.
 
The Blue Jays added another in the bottom of the second with a solo home run to extend their lead to three headed into the third.
 
The Falcons looked to get on the board in the top of the third. Nick Moyer led off the inning with a solo home run to reduce the Blue Jays lead to 3-1. David Martinez reached on an error and Dustin Isanogle drew a walk, Isaiah Parido ripped a ball to the wall. The call on the field was a three-run home run, but the call was reversed and Parido reached on an RBI double. Jarrett Gordon then ripped a two-RBI single through the left side to five the Falcons a 4-3 lead. After a pair of walks from Drew Hurst and Evan Wagaman, Dylan Beard hit an RBI single to center, and after an error by the Blue Jays' center fielder, another run scored for the Falcons to give them a 6-3 lead. Evan Wagaman then scored on a wild pitch and Luke Ott added an RBI single to push the Falcons lead to 8-3. After Nick Moyer reached on a walk, David Martinez advanced the two runners to second and third on a sacrifice bunt for the Falcons first out of the inning. The Falcons scoring continued as Dustin Isanogle hit a two-RBI single to push the Falcons lead to seven. Drew Hurst capped off the inning with a two-RBI single to give the Falcons a 12-3 lead headed into the bottom of the third.
 
After two straight scoreless innings from Zachary Harris on the mound for the Falcons, Messiah looked to extend their lead in the top of the fifth. After a flyout, Jarrett Gordon hit a double down the left field line to put a runner in scoring position with one out. Drew Hurst then followed the double with an RBI single to left center to push the Falcons lead to 10. After Hurst advanced to second on a wild pitch, Evan Wagaman walked to put runners on first and second with one out. Hurst and Wagaman then advanced to second and third on a double steal. After a ground out, Luke Ott hit a two-RBI single right center to extend the Falcons lead to 15-3 headed into the bottom of the fifth.
 
The Blue Jays scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth on a two-run home run, but Drew Dellinger came into the inning and got three straight outs to limit the damage and keep the Messiah lead at 15-5.
 
The Falcons looked to answer the two-run inning from the Blue Jays in the top of the seventh. Isaiah Parido and Jarrett Gordon led off the inning with back-to-back singles. After a flyout, Evan Wagaman hit a ground ball to short and on the throw to second, the Blue Jays second basemen dropped the ball and Parido came around to score to push the Falcons lead to 16-5. The Falcons looked to add another run on a single from Dylan Beard, but the Blue Jays center fielder had a great throw at home to throw out the Falcons' runner at home.
 
After a scoreless eighth inning from Owen Hannevig, and a scoreless top of the ninth, the Falcons needed just three outs to get there first World Series win. The Blue Jays scored two runs in the inning, but Kolten Martin got the final three batters out to give the Falcons the 16-7 win in their first DIII College World Series appearance in program history.
 
Stats
Every batter in the Falcons lineup tallied a hit, with six Falcons having a multi-hit game. Isaiah Parido and Jarrett Gordon led the Falcons with three hits and three runs scored each. Drew Hurst and Luke Ott each tallied two hits and three RBIs. Dylan Beard and Nick Moyer each tallied two hits and an RBI. Dustin Isanogle added a hit and two RBIs. Zachary Harris earned the win on the mound, allowing five runs (three earned) on six hits, two walks, and four strikeouts. Drew Dellinger pitched two scoreless innings out of the pen for the Falcons with two strikeouts. Owen Hannevig added a scoreless inning for the Falcons out of the bullpen.
 
Next
The Falcons take on No. 4 Endicott College in the winner's bracket of the first bracket in the DIII College World Series on Saturday, May 31 at 1:15 p.m.