CHESTER, Pa.- The Widener baseball team earned a split against Messiah in its MAC Commonwealth doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at the Widener University baseball field.
The Pride came back from an 11-6 loss in the first game to win, 10-7, in eight innings in the nightcap against the Falcons after it was called due to lightning in the area.
The Pride are now 16-14 on the season and are 5-3 in MAC Commonwealth play.
HOW IT HAPPENED AGAINST MESSIAH IN GAME 2
- With the game tied at 7 through the top of the eighth, the Pride took the lead in the bottom of the eighth after Anthony Boccio hit an RBI single. Then, Justin Costanzo belted a two-run home run for his second homer of the game and his MAC-Commonwealth-leading 13th homer of the season to give them their three-run advantage. The junior designated hitter is now tied for fourth in all of NCAA Division III in homers this year.
- Before the game was called, the Pride raced out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning after Boccio hit an RBI single to right center to bring home Jason Morgan and Kyle Brex scored on a wild pitch.
- After the Falcons scored a run in the second inning, the Pride extended their lead to 3-1 after Costanzo hit a solo shot for his first homer.
- Following a two-run inning in the fourth by Messiah to tie the game, the Blue and Gold extended their lead to 6-3 in the fifth after Stephen Posner scored on a ball in the fourth, Costanzo scored on a Bryce Fremgen sacrifice fly and Matt Samson had an RBI single in the fifth.
- After the Falcons scored a run in the top of the sixth, Costanzo put the Pride back ahead by a three-run count after hitting an RBI double in the bottom half of the inning.
- Then in the eighth, the Falcons tied the game at 7 after scoring three runs to set up a dramatic finish.
- Costanzo led the Pride at the fish, going 3-for-4 with his two homers, double, four RBIs and three runs scored. Boccio also had three hits with two RBIs and two runs.
HOW IT HAPPENED AGAINST MESSIAH IN GAME 1
- The Pride jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning after Kyle Brex hit a solo home run over the right field wall.
- Then after the Falcons scored four runs over the next three innings to take a 4-1 lead, the Pride grabbed a 5-4 lead after scoring one run in the fourth and three in the fifth. Fremgen tied the ballgame in the fifth with a two-run double to left-center field and Matt Samson brought him home on a single.
- After Messiah tied the game with a run in the top of the seventh, the Pride grabbed a 6-5 lead in the bottom half after Boccio scored on a passed ball.
- However, the Falcons pushed across five runs in the eighth inning on three hits and two errors to take a 10-6 lead that they wouldn't relinquish.
- Matt Samson and Nick Barenz led the Pride at the plate with three hits apiece. Samson went 3-for-5 to push his batting average to .439, which leads the MAC Commonwealth.
- Brex also had two hits and scored two runs. The junior shortstop's two runs gave him 43 runs scored, which also leads the MAC Commonwealth.
UP NEXT
The Pride will be back in action Tuesday when they take on Albright in another MAC Commonwealth game. First pitch is set for 3:30 p.m.
