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Squad Lets Six-Run Inning Go To Waste In 7-6 Loss At Catholic
Posted: 3/11/2008
Box Score | More Baseball news
Senior Ben Jordan was one of three pitcher's utilized in Tuesday's 7-6 loss to Catholic.

Washington, DC — In sports, there are heartbreaking losses.

And then there’s what happened to the Messiah College baseball team at the Catholic University of America Tuesday afternoon.

Messiah (3-5) dropped its fifth consecutive game after registering a season-best six runs in the second inning, slowly allowing the host Cardinals to come back and steal a 7-6 decision in the most stunning of manners. Catholic (3-4) benefited from a Falcons’ error to pull within one run and then used a Messiah balk to push the tying run across, following with an RBI single to cement the comeback.

It all seemed surreal to first-year head coach Bryan Engle, who is quickly getting his dose of ‘been-there-seen-that’ in just eight games as a program leader.

“This was a very, very frustrating loss for us today, and one that should not have happened,” Engle said. “We scored six runs in the second inning and then just fell flat offensively. We had (Catholic) where we wanted them, and didn’t put them away. We’re not where we need to be right now, and it is frustrating.”

After Messiah allowed a single run in the bottom of the first inning to the Cardinals — marking the eighth time in as many contests the Falcons allowed the opposition to score first — Engle’s club erupted for its six-run second, generating five hits to keep base runners moving. The inning opened with a leadoff double from junior Ben Kirk, and was followed by a walk and subsequent RBI single from senior Kyle Stuckey.

A single from sophomore Jon-Mike Richards brought another two across the plate, while a groundout from classmate Adam Ranck plated another score. When senior Craig Mease doubled to right field with one away, two more runs came across, completing the monstrous stanza.

Senior and starting pitcher Dan Kern looked good on the mound as well, going five and two-thirds innings while striking out five and walking just one. Kern’s only blemishes came via one-run innings in the first and third, while keeping Catholic from placing anyone on base in the fourth and fifth innings.

Messiah’s offense slowly began to vanish, however, as the Falcons would post just one hit in the game’s final four innings. The team’s last hit of the day would come with two outs retired in the sixth, as Ranck singled to center field.

Perhaps gaining confidence from quick innings on defense, Catholic began to respond in the bottom half of things.

Kern was eventually pulled in the sixth in favor of classmate Ben Jordan (0-1), after Kern gave up two runs off of three hits in the stanza. He did retire two, however, and Jordan forced his first batter to fly out to end the moment.

Catholic would continue to chip away, though, tacking on a run in the seventh inning to pull within a 6-5 score. A Messiah error with two outs retired led to that score, and slowly the momentum had changed.

In the bottom of the eighth, with junior Kurt Heim (0-2) in relief of Jordan, Catholic got the immaculate gift of a balk call by the plate umpire. Runners were on second and third with two outs, which played the tying run. Heim then gave up an infield single, swinging-bunt style, down the third base line and the Cardinals grabbed a one-run lead.

Messiah finished the top of the ninth with a fly out, a ground out and a strikeout, completing Catholic’s remarkable comeback.

“We’re just making too many mental mistakes for being eight games into the year and for what we expect to be a pretty good ball club,” Engle said. “Whether that’s on the base paths, whether that’s making adjustments, whether that’s not making smart pitches in certain situations, we’re just not there yet. The good news is we’re not too far away, but we aren’t there yet. Catholic took advantage of everything we gave them today, and we gave them too much.”

Mease and Kirk led the way offensively for Messiah, going 2-3 and 2-4, respectively, each registering a double. Mease finished with a pair of RBI, as did Richards, who finished 1-4 with a run scored.

Jordan was saddled with the pitching loss, going two and one-third innings while giving up two earned runs off of three hits. He walked two and struck out none.

“We did hit the ball better today, and that really was the only plus,” Engle said. “We’ve got to find a way to get over the hump. I told the guys after the game, I’m glad we’ve only got 24 hours to see what type of character we have. I challenged all of us after the game. Hopefully we can respond tomorrow.”

The Falcons will return to the field tomorrow for a tilt with Susquehanna University. Initially scheduled to be played at Susquehanna, the game has been moved to the Messiah College Baseball Complex due to unplayable field conditions at the Crusaders’ stadium. Game time is set for 3:30 p.m.