Story Courtesy of Messiah Athletics
WINCHESTER, Va. – The Messiah University Falcons took advantage of an early lead in the elimination game to take down the Farmingdale State College Rams with a final score of 16-12 to advance in the 2026 Winchester Regional. The Falcons then battled to a 5-3 win over the Pioneers of Transylvania University under the lights to earn a spot in the Winchester Regional Championship against host No. 7 Shenandoah University on Sunday, May 17 at 11:00 a.m. If the Falcons win Game Six, Game Seven will be played approximately 50 minutes after the conclusion of Game Six.
In the first game of the day, the Rams took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first after a walk and a home run. The Falcons were quick to answer with five runs in the bottom of the first that included a two-run home run from Cristian Reyna. The Falcons added two in the second and five in the third to take a 12-2 lead. Farmingdale used five runs in the fifth to cut the lead to 12-8. In the bottom of the seventh, Messiah added a pair of runs before holding a 16-9 lead heading into the top of the ninth. The Rams added three runs but a pop-up to Cristian Reyna in shallow right center gave the Falcons a 16-12 win to advance to the 6:00 p.m. elimination game against Transylvania University.
In the second elimination game of the day, Isaiah Parido hit a leadoff double before scoring on a groundout from Drew Hurst to take a 1-0 lead over Transylvania. The Pioneers answered with a single and home run in the bottom of the first to take a 2-1 lead. After three scoreless innings from both teams, Luke Ott opened the fifth with a solo home run to notch the score 2-2 before the Pioneers regained their lead in the bottom of the fifth, taking a 3-2 lead. The Falcons tallied three in the top of the sixth with a Nick Moyer single scoring Landon Mark before a sacrifice fly from Luke Ott scored Carter Reid. After Parido was intentionally walked, Cristian Reyna was hit by a pitch to walk in a run to give Messiah a 5-3 lead. Transylvania stranded four runners and the Falcons stranded three but neither team was able to plate a run through the final three innings, and the Falcons earned the 5-3 win after a 1-2-3 ninth inning for Trey Harper on the mound to advance to the Regional Championship at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday, May 17 against host Shenandoah University.
Messiah 16, Farmingdale 12
Farmingdale State took an early 2-0 lead after a walk and two-run home run in the top of the first. The Falcons responded with a two-run home run of their own after Isaiah Parido walked and stole second before Cristian Reyna hit a ball deep to level the score at 2-2. Drew Hurst and Landon Mark each reached with a single and double, respectively, before Carter Reid reached on a walk. With the bases loaded, a wild pitch scored Hurst before a sacrifice fly from Matt Luchovick scored Reid. After a failed pickoff, Moyer crossed the plate to give Messiah a 5-2 lead after the first inning.
Daniel Knight secured a fly out and pair of groundouts for a 1-2-3 second inning. Isaiah Parido led the Falcons off in the second inning with a double before an RBI single from Cristian Reyna. Reyna then advanced to third after an error before a sacrifice fly from Drew Hurst scored Reyna as Messiah extended their lead to 7-2.
The Rams notched a two-out single before a strikeout ended the top of the third. In the bottom of the third, Nick Moyer walked before singles from Luke Ott and David Martinez loaded the bases with one out. A double to right center for Isaiah Parido scored Ott and Moyer before an RBI single from Reyna plated Parido for the 11-2 lead. Reyna scored on a single from Landon Mark to give the Falcons a 12-2 lead after three innings.
Farmingdale tallied a run in the fourth before the Falcons stranded three on base in the bottom of the fourth. The Rams then rallied in the top of the fifth, collecting five runs on six hits to cut the deficit to four with Messiah holding a 12-8 lead. A 1-2-3 bottom of the fifth brought the Rams back to the plate but despite a hit by pitch and single up the middle, the Rams were unable to add to their run total.
Matt Luchovick notched a double to left center before Luke Ott walked to give the Falcons two on with one out in the sixth. The runners both advanced to scoring position but the Rams were able to off the push and leave the bases loaded. After a quick top of the seventh, Messiah looked to add to their total in the bottom of the seventh.
Drew Hurst opened the Falcons with a single up the middle before Landon Mark walked to put two on with no outs. A sacrifice bunt from Carter Reid moved the pair into scoring position before Nick Moyer was intentionally walked. Matt Luchovick drew a 3-1 walk to force a run across before a sacrifice fly from Luke Ott scored Mark to extend the Messiah lead to 14-8 with two innings to play.
The Rams opened the eighth with a double before the Falcons intentionally walked the next Farmingdale batter. A single up the middle loaded the bases before the Rams scored a run on a double play from the Falcons. The Falcons added a pair of runs in the ninth with Isaiah Parido leading off with a double and ultimately scoring on a Carter Reid double. After a pair of flyouts, a walk from Landon Mark was followed by a Carter Reid double to left center that scored Parido and Mark for a 16-9 lead.
Farmingdale continued to battle in the ninth, opening the inning with a pair of singles. A sacrifice fly scored a run before a single up the middle plated a run to bring the score to 16-10. A ground-rule double led to a run scoring for a 16-12 score before a popup to Cristian Reyna in shallow right center ended the game in favor of the Falcons.
Stats
Cristian Reyna and Isaiah Parido led the Falcons with three hits each with Reyna tallying four RBIs and a home run and Parido tallying three RBIs and three doubles. Carter Reid added a pair of RBIs and a pair of stolen bases. Daniel Knight earned the win on the mound with five strikeouts in 4.2 innings pitched. Walker Cloudt earned the save after pitching 4.1 innings with one strikeout.
Messiah 5, Transylvania 3
Messiah opened the first inning with a double to center field for Isiaah Parido. Parido stole third before an RBI groundout for Drew Hurst scored Parido. The Falcons opened the defensive half with a putout from Carter Reid to Jason Long at first base before Transylvania hit a one-out single. A homerun to left field then gave the Pioneers a 2-1 lead. The teams then combined for three scoreless innings with Nick Moyer tallying a double in the second, Drew Hurst notching a single in the third, and a 1-2-3 fourth inning for Messiah. Jason Long tallied a pair of strikeouts in the third before a strikeout ended the fourth.
Luke Ott tied the game at 2-2 with a leadoff home run in the top of the fifth. Transylvania had a leadoff single and had runners on first and second after a wild pitch and walk but a sacrifice bunt and sacrifice fly to advance runners was not enough as a flyout ended the inning.
In the top of the sixth, Landon Mark led Messiah off with a single before advancing to second on a wild pitch. Carter Reid was hit by a pitch before Nick Moyer singled through the left side to advance Reid to third and score Mark to tie the score at 3-3. Moyer stole second before Matt Luchovick was hit by a pitch to load the bases. After a pitching change for the Rams, Luke Ott hit a sacrifice fly to right center, scoring Reid and advancing Moyer to third. Isaiah Parido was intentionally walked to load the bases once again. Cristian Reyna was hit by a pitch to plater Moyer to give Messiah a 5-3 lead before a flyout ended the inning.
Trey Harper entered the game for the Falcons in the bottom of the sixth and opened his appearance with a strike out. After a double to left field, a ground out and line out ending the pressure from the Pioneers. Transylvania notched quick three outs in the top of the seventh to return to the plate. In the bottom of the seventh, the Pioneers opened the inning with a double and a sacrifice bunt to place a runner of third with one out. The Pioneers looked to score a run but a heads up play from Drew Hurst at third got the runner out at home to leave a runner on first with two outs. A single and hit by pitch loaded the bases before Trey Harper dished the strikeout to maintain the 5-3 lead with two innings to play.
The top of the eighth was a quick 1-2-3 for Messiah before Transylvania hit a single to open the bottom of the eighth. A line drive to Nick Moyer that was sent to first gave the Falcons a pair of outs before Trey Harper dished a strikeout to head to the ninth.
Isaiah Parido led the Falcons off with a walk in the top of the ninth before Cristian Reyna was hit by a pitch to put two on with no outs. Landon Mark singled through the left side to load the bases with one out before a strikeout and pop up brought the game to the final frame.
Messiah tallied a fly out and pair of groundouts on the defensive end to secure the 5-3 win over Transylvania to advance to the Regional Championship against Shenandoah University.
Stats
Landon Mark led the Falcons with three hits while Nick Moyer added a pair with an RBI and a double. Luke Ott tallied a pair of RBIs and a home run. Jason Long earned the win on the mound after five innings with five strikeouts. Trey Harper earned the save after four scoreless innings, tallying three strikeouts.
Up Next
With the pair of wins, the Falcons will compete in the Winchester Regional Championship against host No. 7 Shenandoah University on Sunday, May 17 at 11:00 a.m. If the Falcons win Game Six, Game Seven will be played approximately 50 minutes after the conclusion of Game Six.