ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa. — One Elizabethtown College run in the first inning and another in the fourth was all starting pitcher
Matt Ruth needed, as the sophomore tossed a complete game four-hitter to help the Blue Jays take game two of Monday's Commonwealth Conference baseball doubleheader by a 2-1 score over the Messiah Falcons at Kevin Scott Boyd Stadium.
The Blue Jays (12-15, 5-7) dropped game one earlier in the afternoon, 6-3.
In game two, Ruth's only blemish came in the top of the sixth when Messiah (18-15, 12-3) managed a run on two hits.
E-town got the first of its runs in the first inning when
Steve Motika hit a sacrifice fly to right field to allow
Andrew Gordon to score. The game stood at 1-0 until the Jays made it 2-0 in the bottom of the fourth. Again, it was Motika jumpstarting the offense. The junior singled to center, then advanced to third on a
Dillon Tagle double. Then on a
Matt Reade grounder to the shortstop, a throwing error allowed Motika to touch home.
In the game, Gordon and
Ryan Donahue led the way with two hits apiece.
Ruth was the story, however, as he struck out four Falcons and needing just 91 pitches to navigate through the seven-inning game for his first complete game this year. It was the fourth complete game hurled by a Blue Jays pitcher this season, as the sophomore improved his record to 2-1.
In game one, E-town made things interesting with two runners on and the tying run at the plate in the bottom of the seventh. The Falcons were able to get Reade to ground out the avoid a Blue Jay comeback and take the game by a 6-3 mark.
Messiah pitcher Tory Arnesen helped himself with a solo home run in the top of the second off E-town starter
Rob Cressman to make it 1-0.
The Falcons picked up two more runs in the fourth inning, and one in the fifth for a 4-0 lead after the top half of the fifth.
In the bottom of the fifth, right fielder
Pat Mulligan led off with a double to center. He advanced to third when
Kevin Berkheiser grounded out to the shortstop. Mulligan scored E-town's first run of the game when the next batter,
Kyle Gable, hit a sacrifice fly to left to cut the Blue Jays' deficit to 4-1.
Messiah (18-15, 12-3) got the runs back with two more in the top of the sixth to take a 6-1 lead.
The Blue Jays loaded the bases with a trio of singles in the bottom of the seventh from Berkheiser, Gable and Donahue. Motika made the score 6-2 with an RBI single to plate Berkheiser, followed by an RBI groundout from Tagle to cut Messiah's lead down to 6-3.
Messiah's Arnesen was able to shut the door, however, to earn the win for the Falcons.
Cressman went five innings, yielding six hits and five runs to take the loss.
Jake Hoffstein pitched the final two innings for the Jays.
In game one, the Blue Jays had hits in six of the seven innings, but were only able to capitalize with runs in two innings. Donohue, Motika and Gable had two hits each in the contest.
The win in game two helped E-town maintain fourth place in the MAC with six conference contests still on the schedule.
The Blue Jays will look to make it two wins in a row when they take on Rowan tomorrow at Kevin Scott Boyd Stadium. The game is set to get underway at 4 p.m.
