Story Courtesy of Messiah Athletics

WINCHESTER, Va. – On Sunday afternoon, the Messiah University baseball team defeated the seventh-ranked Hornets of Shenandoah University twice to advance to the NCAA Super Regionals for the second-straight season.
In game one, the Falcons got on the board first with three runs in the top of the second. The Hornets battled back with a run in the bottom of the second and third to cut the Falcons lead to 3-2. After a scoreless fourth, the Falcons scored a run in the top of the fifth to extend their lead to 4-2. After a scoreless sixth, the Hornets cut the Falcons lead to one with a run in the bottom of the seventh. After a scoreless eighth and top of the ninth, the Falcons looked to close the door on game one and force a game two. The Hornets got the tying run in scoring position with one out, but the Falcons got the final two outs to earn the 4-3 win. Nick Moyer led the Falcons with two hits and an RBI. Matt Luchovick and Landon Mark each tallied two hits. Isaiah Parido added a hit and two RBIs. Zachary Harris earned the win, pitching 5.2 innings, allowing two runs on four hits and five strikeouts. Devin Aponte earned the save with two scoreless innings and a strikeout.
In game two, the Falcons offense started strong with four runs in the bottom of the first to take an early 4-0 lead. The Falcons then scored two runs in both the bottom of the second and the third to push their lead to 8-0. The Falcons offense continued to add to their lead with a run in both the fourth and the fifth to take a 1-0 lead headed into the sixth. The Falcons added two more runs in the bottom of the sixth to extend their lead to 12. The Falcons added another run in the bottom of the eighth to push their lead to 13-0 and Kolten Martin finished the game with a scoreless frame in the top of the ninth to give the Falcons the 13-0 win and a trip to the Super Regionals for the second-straight year. Drew Hurst led the Falcons with three hits and three RBIs. Landon Mark and Carter Reid each totaled three hits and an RBI. Cristian Reyna added two hits and three RBIs. Devin Aponte earned the win with 3.1 scoreless innings out of the bullpen with a strikeout. Kolten Martin earned the save with four scoreless innings and three strikeouts.
 
Up next, the Falcons will take on the tenth-ranked Yellow Jackets of Baldwin Wallace next weekend in the NCAA Super Regionals.
 
Game One: Messiah 4, No. 7 Shenandoah 3
After a scoreless first, the Falcons looked to get on the board first in the top of the second. Matt Luchovick led off the inning with a single. Luke Ott then singled and David Martinez reached on a hit by pitch to load the bases with no outs. Isaiah Parido then hit a two-RBI single to give the Falcons a 2-0 lead. After a Drew Hurst walk, Landon Mark grounded into a double play, but the Falcons added another run on the play to give the Falcons a 3-0 lead.
 
The Hornets answered back with a run in the bottom of the second on a solo home run to cut the Falcons lead to 3-1.
 
After a scoreless top of the third, the Hornets scored a run on a sacrifice fly to cut the Falcons lead to one headed to the fourth.
 
After a scoreless inning from Zachary Harris on the mound, the Falcons looked to add to their lead in the top of the fifth. After two quick outs, Cristian Reyna walked and then Carter Reid singled to put runners on first and second with two outs. Nick Moyer then hit an RBI single to give the Falcons a 4-2 lead.
 
After a scoreless sixth and top of the seventh, the Hornets scored a run on an RBI double to reduce the Falcons lead to 4-3 headed into the final two innings.
 
The Falcons could not add more runs, but looked to close the game in the bottom of the ninth. The Hornets had the tying run on second with one out, but Devin Aponte got a pair of ground outs to end the game and force game two of the Regional Finals.
 
Stats
Nick Moyer led the Falcons with two hits and an RBI. Matt Luchovick and Landon Mark each tallied two hits. Isaiah Parido added a hit and two RBIs. Zachary Harris earned the win, pitching 5.2 innings, allowing two runs on four hits and five strikeouts. Devin Aponte earned the save with two scoreless innings and a strikeout.
 
Game Two: Messiah 13, No. 7 Shenandoah 0
After a scoreless top of the first from Christian Foltz, the Falcons looked to get the offense going early. Isaiah Parido led off the inning with a walk and then stole second. Drew Hurst then hit an RBI double to right center to give the Falcons a 1-0 lead. After a fly out, Cristian Reyna hit an RBI double to push the Falcons lead to two. After Reyna advanced on a wild pitch, Carter Reid hit an RBI single to push the Falcons lead to three. After Reid was caught stealing, Nick Moyer singled and Matt Luchovick reached on a hit by pitch to give the Falcons runners on first and second with two outs. Luke Ott then hit an RBI double to give the Falcons a 4-0 lead through the first inning.
 
The Hornets loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the second, but Devin Aponte came in from bullpen and got out of the jam with a fielder's choice to keep the Falcons lead at four.
 
The Falcons looked to continue to add to their lead in the bottom of the second. With two outs, Landon Mark kept the inning alive with a single. Cristian Reyna then hit a two-run home run to center field to push the Falcons lead to 6-0 through two innings.
 
After Aponte set down the Hornets in order, the Falcons looked to keep the momentum going at the plate in the bottom of the third. With two outs, David Martinez doubled down the right-field line. Isaiah Parido then hit an RBI single and advanced to second on an error to give the Falcons a 7-0 lead. Drew Hurst then hit an RBI single to center to extend the Falcons lead to 8-0 headed to the fourth inning.
 
After another scoreless frame from Aponte, the Falcons looked to add more insurance runs in the bottom of the fourth. Carter Reid led off the inning with an infield single. After two outs, Reid stole second and Luke Ott brought him home with an RBI single to give the Falcons a 9-0 lead headed to the fifth.
 
After another scoreless inning, Isaiah Parido led off the bottom of the fifth with a single. After a fly out, Parido stole second and then Landon Mark hit an RBI single to give the Falcons a 10-0 lead through five innings of play.
 
After Kolten Martin threw a perfect from in the top of the sixth, the Falcons added two more runs in the bottom of the sixth on solo home runs from Matt Luchovick and David Martinez to give the Falcons a commanding 12-0 lead headed into the seventh.
 
After a scoreless seventh and top of the eighth, the Falcons added another run on a Drew Hurst RBI single to give the Falcons a 13-0 lead headed into the top of the ninth.
 
Kolten Martin pitched another scoreless inning to give the Falcons the 13-0 win and a trip to the Super Regionals for the second-straight year.
 
Stats
Drew Hurst led the Falcons with three hits and three RBIs. Landon Mark and Carter Reid each totaled three hits and an RBI. Cristian Reyna added two hits and three RBIs. Luke Ott tallied two hits and two RBIs. Matt Luchovick, David Martrinez, and Isaiah Parido each added two hits and an RBI. Devin Aponte earned the win with 3.1 scoreless innings out of the bullpen with a strikeout. Kolten Martin earned the save with four scoreless innings and three strikeouts. The combination of Christian Foltz, Aponte, and Martin shutout the Hornets offense that had not been shutout all season.
 
Next
The Falcons will take on the tenth-ranked Yellow Jackets of Baldwin Wallace next weekend in the NCAA Super Regionals.