(Posted March 18, 2005)

Messiah 6, Juniata 2

Grantham, Pa. ? The Juniata College baseball team fell victim to a strong pitching performance and found an early deficit too much to overcome as the Eagles dropped their first Commonwealth Conference game of the season with a 6-2 set-back against Messiah College in Grantham Friday afternoon. Juniata is now 8-5 on the season and 3-1 in the Commonwealth. Messiah improved to 6-4-1 overall and 1-0 in conference play.

Juniata got on the board first with a run in the top of the first inning. Troy Beaver (Bellwood-Antis/Belwood) singled with one out, and moved to third on a single from Dan Kauffman (Penn Manor/Conestoga). A Walt Goedkoop (Manheim Township/Lancaster) sacrifice fly brought him home and gave Juniata a 1-0 lead.

The lead was short lived as Messiah answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame. After the Falcons added one more in the bottom of the second, Juniata pulled within one as they pushed across a run in the third. Beaver again started the rally with a single, then stole second to get into scoring position. Two batters later, Will Russell (Tyrone/Tyrone) delivered an RBI single that cut the deficit to 3-2 in favor of Mess

But that was all they could muster against Messiah starter Kyle Brobst who tossed a complete-game victory for the home team, allowing just a pair of runs on eight hits while striking out six. Juniata managed just three base runners after the fourth inning. The Eagles put two on base in the eighth as Russell and Kauffman both singled, and Jesse Leonard (Shade/Johnstown) walked to load the bases with two out. But Brobst forced a groundout to get out of the frame, and Messiah responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the eighth to reach the winning 6-2 margin.

Eagle starter Jason Enoch (Hempfield/Landisville) pitched six strong innings for the Blue and Gold, but he was hurt by defensive miscues. Two of the four runs scored on the freshman where unearned. Enoch allowed five hits in six innings of work and fanned four batters on the game.

Beaver finished 2-for-4 on the game with two runs score, while Russell was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Kauffman also finished with a pair of hits.

Peter Godino, Andrew Bagley and Peter Dyson each had a pair of hits to lead the Falcon offense.

Juniata and Messiah will wrap-up their three-game series on Saturday with a doubleheader played at Juniata.

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Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.