GRANTHAM, PA – The York College baseball team was outscored 19-1 in the final two games of the 2025 MAC Commonwealth championship series as the Messiah University Falcons earned the championship on Sunday in Grantham, PA.
The Spartans won game one of the series on Saturday and needed just one win to earn their second MAC Commonwealth title. However, the Falcons won game two of the series 11-1 and then earned the title with an 8-0 win in game three.
Messiah improves to 31-14 as they advance to the NCAA Tournament. The Spartans see their campaign come to an end with a mark of 25-19.
 
Game One
Runs: York 1 – Messiah 11
Hits: York 6 – Messiah 12
Errors: York 2 – Messiah 3
LOB: York 10 – Messiah 7
WP: Jason Long (5-2); LP: Brandon Purdy (3-4); Save: Drew Dellinger (1)
 
How It Happened
• The Falcons jumped on the Spartans with single runs in each of the first two innings followed by three runs in the third and four runs in the fourth. The Falcons took the lead in the bottom of the first as Isaiah Parido doubled, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on another wild pitch for the 1-0 lead.
• Messiah got their second run on an RBI double from David Martinez in the second. The Spartans opened the floodgates for the Falcons in the third as they allowed three runs thanks to a pair of errors that turned a two-run deficit into a five run margin. The Falcons removed all doubt about the outcome of game one with four more runs in the fourth as the lead ballooned to 9-0.
• York broke up the shutout in the sixth with an unearned run. The Spartans had runners at second and third in the seventh but came up empty in the inning. They would not threaten the rest of the game.
 
Spartan Offensive Leaders
Ryan Niedzialkowski: 3-for-4, 1 run, 2B
Lucas Prendergast: 1-for-4, BB, SB
Chris Betler: 1-for-4, 2B
Richard Kline: 1-for-3, BB
 
Spartan Pitching
Brandon Purdy: 2.0 IP, 4 hits, 3 ER, 1 K, 1 BB, 2 WP
Dillon Michaloski: 2.0 IP, 5 hits, 6 runs, 5 ER, 3BB, WP
Jake Ludwig: 4.0 IP, 3 hits, 2 ER, 2 K, 2 BB
 
Game Two
Runs: York 0 – Messiah 8
Hits: York 7 – Messiah 11
Errors: York 2 – Messiah 1
LOB: York 5 – Messiah 6
WP: Daniel Knight (4-1); LP: Owen Brockner (2-3)
 
How It Happened
• Game two was much closer early on but the Falcons again jumped on top in the bottom of the first. Isaiah Parido started the Falcons half of the first with a bomb to right for the 1-0 lead. Messiah made it 3-0 in the bottom of the third with a two-run single to right by Drew Hurst.
• York tried to get off the canvas in the fifth as Ryan Niedzialkowski singled to center to start the inning. After a fly out, Chris Nesensohn singled to center to put Spartans at first and second. Falcon starter Daniel Knight coaxed the Spartans to hit into a double play to end the inning, extinguishing the threat.
• Spartan starter Owen Brockner did a good job of keeping the Spartans in the game as he got the Falcons in order in the fifth and allowed a two out infield single in the sixth as York continued to trail by three runs.
• Messiah blew the game open in the bottom of the seventh with a five-run inning as the Spartan defense again aided in the uprising with a pair of errors. The Spartans got single base runners in the eighth and ninth but it would not be enough to overcome the big Falcon advantage.
 
Spartan Offensive Leaders
Chris Betler: 2-for-4, SB
Jacob Deimling: 1-for-4
Ryan Niedzialkowski: 1-for-4
Richard Kline: 1-for-3
Chris Nesensohn: 1-for-3
Luke Moser: 1-for-3
 
Spartan Pitching
Owen Brockner: 6.1 IP, 10 hits, 6 runs, 3 ER, 2 K, 0 BB
Bryce Shaffer: 0.2 IP, 1 hit, 2 runs, 0 ER, 1 K, 1 BB
Ethan Kennedy: 1.0 IP, 0 hits, 0 runs
 
Spartan Notes
York falls to 3-4 all-time against the Falcons in the MAC Commonwealth tournament … York dropped four of six games this year against Messiah … York is now 56-20 all-time against the Falcons but Messiah has won eight of the last 12 in the series … only one of the six games between the two teams was decided by less than five runs in 2025  (5-3 on Monday, April 14) … York finished the year 12-9 on the road … the doubleheader loss snapped York's season-high seven game win streak … York finished the year 4-10 when allowing ten or more runs in a game … York concluded the year 5-10 when their opponent scores in the first inning and 7-13 when their opponent scored first in a game … York committed two errors in each game and they are now 6-14 when committing two errors or more in a game … York was out-hit in both games and they are now 8-17 when that happens … York had two extra base hits in 18 innings of play on Sunday … York hit .196 (13-for-66) on Sunday … the Spartans struck out 14 times and drew just three walks in the two games … York allowed five unearned runs in game two … the Green and White finished the year allowing 52 unearned runs in their 365 innings on the bump … grad closer Ethan Kennedy completed his stellar Spartan career with a scoreless inning in game two … Kennedy finished his career with a school record 20 saves including 10 in 2025 … Kennedy was 9-6 in 110 innings covering 70 appearances … Kennedy's 70 appearances is also a Spartan school record … senior Bryce Shaffer finished his season with 22 appearances as that total is tied for third on the single-season Spartan list.
 
Up Next
The losses close out the Spartans 2025 campaign. The Green and White must say goodbye to seniors Chris Nesensohn, Gabe Trevena, Michael Tinneny, Kenny Bamrick, Chris Betler, Jesse Bitzer, Bryce Shaffer, Brandon Purdy and Yandel Tolentino along with grad students Ethan Kennedy and Ayden Hughes. The Spartans will return to the diamond in late February 2026.