GRANTHAM, PA – The York College split a MAC Commonwealth doubleheader at Messiah University on a chilly Saturday afternoon in Grantham.
The Spartans got one hit in the opener as they fell 4-0. York's offense then woke up and the Spartans won game two 11-9. The win snapped a five-game losing streak.
 
Game One
Records: York 3-7 (0-2 MACC); Messiah 5-6-1 (2-0 MACC)
Runs: York 0; Messiah 4
Hits: York 1; Messiah 8
Errors: York 1; Messiah 0
WP: Nathan Stein (2-2); LP: Brandon Purdy (1-1)
 
How It Happened
• The Falcons got on the board first in the bottom of the second inning. Sam Zercher started the inning with a double down the left field line. He came around to score on an Evan Wagaman single to left as it looked like the Falcons were setting up for a big inning. Spartan starter Brandon Purdy settled in and picked Wagaman off at first. He then got a strikeout for out number two. He gave up a double but coaxed David Martinez into a ground out to short to end the threat.
• York had a chance to strike in the top of the fourth. Gabe Trevena started the inning by getting hit by a pitch. After a pair of outs, Jacob Deimling walked and Brendan Martin reached on a fielder's choice to load the bases. Falcon starter Nate Stein got a ground out to short to end the potential uprising.
• While Stein was dealing, his teammates got three more runs in the bottom of the fifth. The Falcons got their first run of the inning on a Zercher infield single with the bases loaded. The big blow came with an Isaiah Parido double to right that plated two and pushed the lead to 4-0.
• The only drama that was left was whether Stein could get the no-hitter. He opened the seventh with a strikeout but then Martin singled up the middle to break up the no-no. Stein retired the next two Spartans on fly outs to complete the complete game shutout. Stein allowed the one hit with two strikeouts and one walk in a very efficient 80 pitches.
 
Spartan Offensive Leaders
Brendan Martin: 1-for-3
Jacob Deimling: 0-for-2, BB
 
Spartan Pitching
Brandon Purdy: 4.2 IP, 8 hits, 4 ER, 2 K, 2 BB
Ethan Kennedy: 1.1 IP, 0 hits, 0 runs, 2 K
 
Game Two
Records: York 4-7 (1-2 MACC); Messiah 5-7-1 (2-1 MACC)
Runs: York 11; Messiah 9
Hits: York 11; Messiah 11
Errors: York 2; Messiah 3
WP: Yandel Tolentino (2-1); LP: Josh Monturo (0-1); Save: Ethan Kennedy (1)
 
How It Happened
• Game two could not have started off better, or more opposite start of game one. The Spartans got on the board four hitters in as Gabe Trevena singled with one out. After a strikeout, Michael Tinneny singled to right to score the speedy Trevena with the game's first run. Lucas Prendergast was hit by a pitch to put runners at first and second with two outs. Brendan Martin was hit by a pitch to load the bases but they didn't stay loaded long as Connor Pickle ripped a double to right center to clear the bases to make it 4-0 York. Pickle then came around on a Chris Betler double down the left field line as York led 5-0.
• The Falcons responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first. Dylan Beard and Joshua Ammons had back-to-back singles with one out. Spartan starter Bryce Shaffer got a strikeout for out number two but a passed ball followed by an Evan Wagaman single to center plated two, trimming York's lead to 5-2.
• Messiah came back to tie the game in the bottom of third as Dustin Isanogle was hit by a pitch to open the inning. Beard then doubled to left, scoring Isanogle with the Falcons third run. Ammons then singled to score Beard. After a strikeout, Ammons moved to third on a pair of wild pitches. Wagaman then walked, forcing the Spartans to go to the pen. Isaiah Parido tied the game on a sacrifice fly before reliever Yandel Tolentino picked off Wagaman at first to end the inning.
• York responded with a big top of the fourth to recapture the lead. The inning started with a Betler single to center. Emidio Bucci was called on to bunt but he drew a five pitch walk to put runners at first and second. Robby Elzinga singled to center to score Betler, giving York the 6-5 lead. A Messiah error allowed York to load the bases with no one out. Reliever Christian Woodie got a strikeout for the first out of the inning but a second Falcon error allowed Bucci to score to make it 7-5. Prendergast followed with a sacrifice fly to plate Elzinga with York's third run of the inning. Martin finished off the inning with a huge two-run double to left to push the lead to 10-5.
• The Falcons clawed a little closer in the fifth with a pair of runs. Wagaman had an RBI single and Parido notched another sacrifice fly to trim the Spartan lead to 10-7. After a quiet top of the sixth, the Falcons had another uprising as Isanogle doubled down the third base line. He scored when Beard put down a bunt single that got thrown into right field for an error. Ammons then singled to center to score Beard as the Falcons cut the Spartan lead to 10-9. Ethan Kennedy came in to get the final two outs of the inning to preserve the one run lead.
• York got a big insurance run in the top of the seventh as Betler singled to open the inning. He came around to score on an Elzinga triple to right center, pushing the lead to 11-9.
• Kennedy retired the Falcons in order in the seventh pick up his first save of the year.
 
Spartan Offensive Leaders
Brendan Martin: 3-for-3, 1 run, 2 RBI, 2B
Chris Betler: 3-for-4, 2 runs, 1 RBI, 2B
Robby Elzinga: 2-for-5, 1 run, 2 RBI, 3B
Michael Tinneny: 1-for-4, 2 runs, 2 RBI
Connor Pickle: 1-for-4, 1 run, 3 RBI, 2B
 
Spartan Pitching
Bryce Shaffer: 2.1 IP, 5 hits, 5 runs, 4 ER, 2 K, 1 BB, 2 WP, 1 HB
Yandel Tolentino: 1.2 IP, 4 hits, 2 ER, 0 K, 0 BB
Cade Hollingsworth: 1.1 IP, 2 hits, 2 runs, 1 ER, 1 WP
Ethan Kennedy: 1.2 IP, 0 hits, 0 runs, 1 K
 
Spartan Notes
The Spartans salvaged the final game of the three-game series as they continue to lead the all-time series with the Falcons 51-11 … in game two, the Spartans reached double figures in runs for the first time since their March 1 win over Rutgers-Camden … they tied their season high with 11 RBI in the game two win … York has not hit a home run since the second game of the Lynchburg series on March 5 … York had three hit batters in both games and had 10 batters hit during the three game series … Spartan pitchers walked just two in the first game and only one in the second … York threw another three wild pitches in the nightcap as they now have uncorked 20 for the season.
 
Up Next
The Spartans return home on Tuesday afternoon as they step out of conference to face Catholic University at Jaquet Field. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30 pm.