GRANTHAM, Pa. – The Albright Lions baseball team was swept in its MAC Commonwealth doubleheader by Messiah on Saturday afternnon. The Falcons won game one 10-3 before taking game two by a score of 8-4.
 
With the losses, the Lions drop to 11-20 overall with a 5-15 record in conference play. Meanwhile, the Falcons improve to 14-19 overall with a 9-11 record in conference play.
 
Messiah scored runs in the first four innings of the game as they started the game by getting on the board in the bottom of the first on a two-out RBI single to take an early 1-0 lead. After the Lions got two-out singles in each of the first two innings, the Falcons struck again with two outs in the bottom of the second as they got a two-run single to extend their lead out to 3-0. The Falcons then added three more runs in the bottom of the third to take a 6-0 lead behind a solo home run along with an RBI single and double that both came with two outs. Senior Noah Beebe led the top of the fourth off with a single, but the Lions could not advance him further. Messiah then came back with three more runs in the bottom of the fourth on three hits to take a commanding 9-0 lead. Albright finally broke through for three runs in the top of the fifth to make it a 9-3 game. Senior Zach Krause led the inning off with a single and advanced to second on a throwing error. A groundout advanced both runners to second and third to allow sophomore Jimmy Gentry to rope a two-run double for the first two runs. A sacrifice fly from junior Jeff Yordy would bring Gentry home after he advanced to third on a failed pickoff attempt. The Lions then loaded the bases with two outs, but were unable to get any more runs across. Albright loaded the bases again in the top of the sixth with no outs following two singles and a walk. Unfortunately for the Lions a force out at home, strikeout, and ground out quickly wiped out the threat. The Falcons then got their 10^th run on a RBI single with two outs and retired the Lions in order in the top of the seventh to end the game.
 
Beebe and Krause each tallied two hits in the game, while Gentry posted two RBIs. Sophomore Shaun O'Reilly suffered the loss after allowing six earned runs on nine hits in 2.2 innings with one strikeout. Freshman Ryan Kalinich and Nick Cummings each pitched in relief with Kalinich going 1.1 innings and Cummings going two innings. Messiah pitcher Quinton Kuntz earned the win after allowing three runs (one earned) on nine hits with four strikeouts.
 
In game two, it was the Falcons again that started fast as they tallied three runs in the bottom of the first to take a 3-0 lead on four hits right off the bat. Krause would then respond in the top of the second with a two-run home run after a walk from junior Jack Shevlin to make it a 3-2 game. Once again the Falcons came back, this time with three runs to make it a 6-2 game behind two scoring off a crazy play on a sacrifice bunt before a two out solo home run. Gentry and Yordy each singled to lead off the top of the third for the Lions before Gentry scored on a fielder's choice to make it a 6-3 game. The Falcons would tally their seventh run in the bottom of the third on a trick play that saw a Falcon runner on third score after the Lions attempted to pick off the runner on first. Gentry played a big role in the Lions fourth run in the top of the fifth as he singled and stole two bases before Beebe brought him home on an RBI single to make it 7-4. Messiah tallied its last run of the game in the bottom of the sixth on a two out RBI single, and worked around a fielding error in the top of the seventh to end the game.
 
Gentry and Yordy each tallied two hits, while Beebe and Krause each tallied a pair of RBIs in the loss. Sophomore Will Tokarski suffered the loss after allowing seven earned runs on eight hits in three innings with two strikeouts. Junior Daron Pijanowski relieved Tokarski and allowed one earned run on two hits with two strikeouts in three innings of work. Messiah pitcher Brandon Shirk earned the win after allowing four earned runs on seven hits in 4.2 innings.
 
The Lions will return to action tomorrow, April 29^th when they will host Messiah in its final regular season home game of the season for senior day at 1 p.m.