GRANTHAM, Pa. – After a season-best performance versus TCNJ on Wednesday, the Pride went on the road on Thursday and shut out the Messiah University Falcons, 6-0.

The Pride have an 8-11 regular-season record. They are 3-4 playing conference opponents.

HOW IT HAPPENED AGAINST MESSIAH
Kyle Brex and Nick Barenz each had two runs. Brex also had a season-high four hits. Sean Curran threw for all nine innings. He allowed just one hit, and he struck out eight batters.

The Pride showed aggressiveness early on in getting men on base. They were able to score a run on a bases-loaded scenario from a Messiah error. Brex scored the run. Widener silenced the Falcons in the bottom of the first in three batters. Although the second inning was quick for both offenses, Widener threatened to score in the third. The Pride had men on first and third, but they were retired by Messiah's defense. The Falcons continued to struggle on offense, as a no-hitter thrown by the Pride was still in play. Widener led 1-0 through three innings.

Widener's bats heated up in the top of the fourth. A Bryce Fremgen RBI single brought in one run. A Brex double and a hit by Justin Costanzo made the score 4-0. A line-out on the next play ended the top of the fourth, though. Both the Pride and the Falcons could not get more than three batters to the plate in the fifth and the sixth innings. The Pride recorded two groundouts on defense in the bottom of the fifth. In the sixth, Widener's hitters continued to make contact. But, the Falcons made good defensive stops. The Pride's defense returned the favor in the bottom of the sixth to retire their opponent's offense. After six innings, the Pride were leading 4-0.

The Pride began the seventh inning with a Brex single. Stephen Posner's sacrifice-fly moments later turned into an RBI. Brex made it to home plate to increase the lead to 5-0. The top of the eighth was similar for Widener, due to the fact that they also got one run. With runners on all three bases, a Brex sacrifice-fly increased Widener's lead to 6-0. Once the Falcons changed pitchers, their defense logged the third out on the next batter. Going into the bottom of the ninth, Messiah had not logged a hit for the entire game. This inning was when they finally broke through. Although Widener's defense had two outs, a single gave Messiah their first man on base. Curran, however, did not let any momentum swing in favor of the Falcons. He struck out the last batter swinging to end the game. The Pride blanked Messiah 6-0.

UP NEXT
The Pride will see the Falcons once again, but Widener will be hosting this time on Sunday. Game one of the doubleheader is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.