Owings Mill, MD - What would have been a comeback for the ages fell just short. The Messiah Falcons (1-5) overcame two sizeable deficits - an 8-0 second inning hole and an 11-7 score in the seventh inning - but ultimately lost a 12-11 heartbreaker to the Stevenson Mustangs (8-5).
 
"We were pleased to see adversity in that we didn't give up," said Steve DeRiggs, Messiah's head baseball coach. "We fought all game. 11 hits, 11 runs speaks pretty well for their grit and determination but by the same token, you have to be able to finish it, and we've lost three one-run games already. It says that you're competitive but you've got to find a way to win. We had two exceptional comebacks but we just have to find a way to finish the game."

Messiah saw itself fall down by eight runs early when the Mustangs jumped on starter Jon Lapp. The Falcons slowly chipped away at the lead, scoring once in the third inning, three times in the fourth, two in the fifth, and one more in the seventh to cut the lead to 8-7. When the Mustangs tacked on three runs in the bottom of the seventh to make it an 11-7 ballgame, Messiah countered with four runs of its own, tying the contest on junior Paul Mellinger's two-run, two-out single.

The Mustangs loaded the bases in the bottom of the eighth inning before executing a picture perfect suicide squeeze bunt that proved to be the difference in the game. It was ironic that in a matchup that included 23 total runs and 45 baserunners, the deciding run would come on a bunt that probably traveled ten feet.

Messiah had its last licks in the top of the ninth, but went down 1-2-3 in order, the final two outs coming on consecutive strikeouts. It was two losses in as many days for the Falcons, as Messiah fell to 1-5 on the season. For the second straight day, the Falcons collected double-digit hits, saw a rise in its runs from one to 11, but stranded 13 runners on base again.
 
The game – played at the Mustangs' debut of their new Park Field – was Messiah's final game before its spring Florida trip. Lapp received the start, lasting into just the second inning. He pitched a perfect first frame before getting hit hard by the Mustangs in their second turn at-bat. Sophomore Paul Broomell came in and quieted the damage, but not before Stevenson had taken an 8-0 lead.
 
"Jon Lapp is an outstanding young man and he set the bar high by being Rookie of the Year last year," DeRiggs said. "The expectation level for Jon is extremely high and he's struggled with location this year. They haven't missed his mistakes so far, and as a result, he's had two lackluster outings. I still believe in him though and we know he's a terrific athlete."
 
Messiah fought back inning by inning, starting with a sacrifice fly from Mellinger in the third inning that put the Falcons on board. An RBI double by Matt Turman and a two-run single from Mellinger made the score 8-4, and five batters reached base in the fifth inning as the Falcons scored two more runs to cut the score to 8-6.
 
Meanwhile, Broomell was masterful in relief, pitching 3.2 scoreless innings, giving up just two hits, no walks, and recording three strikeouts, keeping Messiah in the contest. The Falcons' offense stranded two runners on base in the sixth inning and two more in the seventh inning, but managed to piece together a two-out run in the seventh when senior Sam Tajiri doubled, advanced to third on a passed ball, and scored on a wild pitch.

Having made the score 8-7, the momentum looked to be fully in Messiah's way, but the Mustangs rebounded with three runs of their own in the seventh inning against Falcons' reliever Zach Adams. Adams (0-1) was charged with the loss in the contest.
 
Not to be outdone, Messiah bounced back with four runs in the eighth inning, tying the game at last. Sophomore David Sletta began the rally with a hit by pitch, freshman Derek Drake walked, and sophomore Jacob Sprengle reached on an error to load the bases. The Falcons chipped together runs as Turman was hit by a pitch to force in Sletta, Tajiri hit an RBI groundout, and Mellinger came through with another key two-run, two-out single, this one finally knotting the game.
 
For the day, Mellinger led the offensive production, contributing with two hits, a walk, and five runs batted in – four of them with two outs. Drake also had a fine day at the plate, reaching base in each of his first five trips to the dish, the first two on singles and the next three on walks.
 
Heading to the bottom of the eighth inning – and with darkness threatening the game to be called early – Messiah needed to hold the Mustangs, score a run, and then hold the Mustangs for the win. Unfortunately, it didn't happen.
 
The first two batters singled to begin the inning and then a botched double play proved costly. Messiah still got one out, and with runners on second and third base, set up an intentional walk with new relief pitcher Davin Okerblom to try to force a double play that would get them out of the inning.
 
The bunt was a picture perfect suicide squeeze, giving Stevenson a 12-11 lead in a game that could have gone either way.
 
"They had the squeeze already in effect," DeRiggs said. "The percentages late in the game are to walk the batter and then you can try to get a double play and get out of the inning, and that's why we did it. We had confidence (Davin) wouldn't walk a run in, and he's pitched well this year. It was a nice bunt and they got the run in. They executed it well. It didn't fool us but they did it well and they won the game with it."
 
Messiah moved to the ninth inning but couldn't even get a runner on base against Patrick Quinn, the fifth Mustangs pitcher of the day.
 
With the loss, the Falcons fall to 1-5, similar to the 2-9 start the team had last year. The Florida trip will be a strong opportunity for Messiah to improve, as they will play six games in five days against quality opponents.
 
"We've played better the first four or five games this year than we did last year," DeRiggs said. "When we've had opportunities to have big innings, we aren't delivering. We are falling short. Yesterday we had 10 hits and scored one run, and today we had 11 hits and scored 11 runs, but we lost both games. The expectation is to play aggressive and not be scared. We are doing that but we just have to be converting better than we are. I'd like to see more consistency from the starting pitching. I'd like to see the starting pitching go a little deeper than two or three innings. I'd also like to see better outings from the reliever, rather than doing well one day and doing poorly the next time."
 
Messiah begins its Florida trip with a doubleheader next Monday against Richard Stockton College in Fort Pierce, Florida. The first of the two contests is slated to begin at 11:00 a.m.