Games With FDU-Florham Consumed With Bizarre Twists, Turns
Junior Adam Ranck didn't have a chance to take the field Saturday.

Winter Haven, FL — Three games into the team’s spring break trip, and Messiah has yet to see a run-of-the-mill ballgame.

After committing a program-record 11 errors in a 1-12 loss to Cortland State University Friday night, things got exponentially more absurd Saturday, as the Falcons won a 14-2 decision over FDU-Florham before tying a lack-of-daylight shortened, seven-inning 19-19 ballgame with the Devils in the nightcap.

That game saw a 17-12 Messiah lead dissipate into a 17-19 deficit at dusk, the Devils’ offense commit an intentional out and a two-run Falcons’ rally that nearly won the game — had it not been for a Sportscenter-worthy diving catch from an FDU-Florham outfielder.

“In all of my years involved in this sport, I have never been part of a crazier day of baseball,” said Bryan Engle, Messiah head coach. “I’m a big believer in the old saying, ‘Every time you come to the ballpark, you’ll see something new.’ Today, there was a laundry list of things I had never seen before.”

Tragically, one of those facets involved a gruesome injury to Messiah junior third baseman Adam Ranck, as the 2008 Rawlings First Team Mid-Atlantic Region Gold Glove winner was hit by a pitch in his first at-bat of the day. Facing FDU-Florham’s Bobby Smith in a 2-2 count, Ranck caught a pitch square on his cheek — sending him to the dirt instantly.

A 25-minute delay ensued as Ranck was transported by ambulance to a nearby hospital, casting a dark cloud over the immediate activities.

“It was a very scary moment,” Engle said. “Thankfully, EMTs were at the site and they were able to tend to Adam immediately. He was able to rejoin us in the dugout later in the game, and I think that helped us to feel okay about playing. It was one of those moments you never want to see happen to anyone anywhere.”

While Engle said it is highly doubtful that Ranck will play again during the team’s time in Florida, Messiah (5-7-1) seemed poised to play in honor of its fallen third baseman almost immediately. An unflappable pitching performance from classmate Sheldon Witmer set the stage, while an explosive performance at the plate helped seal the eventual 14-2 deal.

Messiah got on the board in the second by virtue of a leadoff single from freshman Wes Hollenbach, while the team erupted for 13 runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings. An eight-run fifth highlighted that stretch, as three doubles from freshman Jon Brubaker led seven Falcons’ two-baggers on the game.

Witmer, senior Johnny Ebersole, juior Jordan Zimmerman, junior Derek Sipe and sophomore Jamie Scott all doubled as well, while Witmer and senior Ben Kirk both tripled. Witmer helped his pitching cause in registering a game-high five RBI, the bulk of that statistic coming off a three-RBI triple in the fifth.

On the mound, Witmer (2-1) went the distance, scattering 10 hits while striking out three. FDU-Florham (0-2-1) left 10 runners on base, while six Falcons turned in multiple-hit performances.

Those offensive fireworks proved only to be a warm-up for Saturday’s nightcap, as Messiah and FDU-Florham combined to blast 33 hits, seven doubles, four home runs and three triples in the eventual 19-19 draw. A total of 10 pitchers were used, while 11 total players recorded at least two hits for the game.

Fittingly, the game started in high octane fashion, as the Devils tattooed three first-inning hits for five scores before Messiah had a chance to come to the plate. A three-run bottom of the first ensued, as a leadoff double from Brubaker and a two-RBI single from Hollenbach highlighted the Falcons’ initial offensive opportunity.

The Devils added two more runs in their half of the second, but a four-run bottom of the stanza would tie things up. A triple from Kirk unloaded the bases — all of Messiah’s runners had reached via walk — while an FDU error eventually plated Kirk.

Messiah then stretched out to a 12-7 lead after three complete, as a five-run bottom half of the third was punctuated by a three-run long ball from Witmer. The Devils countered with a pair of runs in both the top of the fourth and fifth innings, but another big push from Messiah — five total runs in the home half of the fifth and sixth — made it a 17-11 Falcons’ lead.

That’s when things got really crazy.

FDU-Florham would blast eight hits in the top of the seventh, scoring eight runs to reclaim an 19-17 lead.

It may have been more, had Devils’ head coach Andy Paulus not instructed his centerfielder to intentionally ground out.

With daylight quickly fading, Paulus knew that the seventh inning needed to be completed for his team not to lose. Had the game been called in the top half of the stanza, the final score would revert back to the last completed inning — in this case a 17-11 Messiah lead after six full.

With that, FDU-Florham centerfielder Dan Pregno bunted back to sophomore Eric Spring — Messiah’s fourth pitcher of the night — jogging down the first base line to ensure the half inning would end.

When the out was made, FDU-Florham had runners at the corners.

“It was really a smart move,” Engle said of the decision. “I was dumbfounded that we somehow let a 17-11 lead slip away. But when the guys came in off the field, (assistant) Coach (Andy) Srebroski said, ‘Well, we’ve done it all day, let’s hit.’ There wasn’t much else to say or do at the time. We needed to get even more runs.”

Messiah did just that, and nearly got enough to win the game.

A leadoff double from sophomore Sean Hart got things rolling, while yet another double from Brubaker drove him in. A follow-up single from Ebersole brought Brubaker across, and Witmer came to the plate with just one out.

His shot to the leftfield warning track somehow did not hit the ground.

The Devils’ Ryan Fandel made an absolutely incredible diving play, doubling off Ebersole — who had no intentions of tagging up on such a well-struck ball from Witmer.

Now playing in virtual darkness, umpires called the game.

“I don’t know how our guys could see the ball to hit it, let alone how (Fandel) made that catch,” Engle said. “It was unbelievable. But it was getting so dark that safety was becoming an issue.”

Brubaker finished his finest day as a college baseball player going 7-10 from the plate with five doubles, three RBI and seven runs scored. Hollenbach (3-5) drove in five runs in the nightcap while Kirk (2-4) brought in four. Witmer and Ebersole drove in three.

“It was an absolutely crazy day,” Engle said. “We can use a day off tomorrow. We’ll try to regroup and come out fresh Monday. What more can you do?”

Mesiah will relax Sunday before facing Allegheny College in a Monday double-header. Game time for the first of two is set for 2:30 p.m.