WMVO Good Times Great Oldies
FORT PIERCE, FL – In Monday’s doubleheader against Messiah University, the Kenyon College baseball team couldn’t overcome mistakes and hot hitting by the Falcons. With the two wins, Messiah moved to 6-5 on the season while Kenyon dropped to 0-3.
GAME ONE
After a scoreless first inning, Messiah started the scoring in the second inning. The Falcons started the inning with back-to-back singles before laying down a bunt single to score the first run of the game. Messiah pushed another run across on a dropped pop fly in the infield, making the score 2-0.
In the third, the Falcons added a third run on a wild pitch but the Lords escaped the jam on a fielder’s choice and a fly out. In the home half of the inning, Luke Meister led off with a single. Shortly after, Malcolm Gaynor moved Meister to third on a single of his own. Kenyon wasted no time finding the scoreboard as Nate Rosen lifted a sacrifice fly to right field to score Meister.
The Lords brought the game to within one in the bottom of the fifth as Will Sturgeon singled and swiped second to bring up Gaynor once again. Gaynor lined a single to right field, scoring Sturgeon from second.
Over the next two innings, Messiah left no chance for the Lords to come back. The Falcons scored four runs in the top of the sixth on three hits and two Kenyon errors before scoring four more in the top of the seventh. The Lords went down in order in the bottom half to end the game, 11-2.
GAME TWO
Serving as the visiting team in the second game of the doubleheader, Gaynor continued his excellent day at the plate, leading off the game with a single and a stolen base. After Alex Gow was hit by a pitch, Andrew Rabinowitz hit a ball to the side of the mound. Messiah’s pitcher Jadyn Martin threw the ball into center field to score Gaynor.
Kenyon looked to be headed toward a clean inning in the bottom of the first but a single and an error kept the Falcons at the plate. Messiah placed a pair of singles to the left side, erasing the Kenyon lead and taking a 3-1 advantage.
Batting in the top of the second, Messiah pitching hit Sturgeon and walked Drew Robinson, giving the Lords free baserunners. Gaynor collected his first of three runs batted in on the day, singling through the left side and scoring Sturgeon. Rabinowitz tied the game at three as he replicated what Gaynor did to score Robinson.
Picking up where they left off in the first, the Falcons added three runs on four hits to take a three-run advantage. Kenyon added two more runs on Gaynor’s two RBI double over the left fielder’s head, bringing the Lords within striking distance at 6-5.
A Kenyon error and walk placed runners on the corners in the bottom half of the third. Messiah added a run on the sacrifice fly to right field. Before the Falcons could get more momentum, Rabinowtiz threw out the runner on first trying to steal.
For the first time in the game, both teams posted scoreless innings at the plate until the Falcons’ bats came alive in the bottom of the sixth. Another Lords’ error and Messiah single led to a walk to load the bases. A line drive into left field scored the Falcons’ final two runs of the game.
Looking to mount a comeback, the Lords started the inning off with a single but a strikeout stalled Kenyon’s push for extras. Shortly after the strikeout, Messiah erased the Lords’ runner on first base with a pick off. With two outs, a ground out ended the game.
Kenyon looks to find the win column on Wednesday with a doubleheader against Monmouth College starting at 11:30 a.m.
