GRANTHAM, Pa. - Stevenson junior Tom Goulian (Kinnelon, N.J./Kinnelon) extended his hitting streak to 14 games, leading off with a single in the opener before it was snapped in the nightcap as the Mustangs split a Commonwealth Conference doubleheader with Messiah, winning game one 2-1 in eight innings and losing game two, 7-5.
Stevenson (22-13, 11-7 MAC) sit alone in third place one game behind Arcadia and one game ahead of Messiah. Only two games separate five teams vying for the final three playoff spots going into the final weekend of conference play. Alvernia clinched their playoff spot by virtue of their three-game series sweep of last place Albright, the Mustangs' final conference series opponent.
The Mustangs scored first in game one when senior Josh Morris (Gambrills, Md./Arundel) doubled to centerfield bringing home sophomore Bret Schilling (Catonsville, Md./Mount Saint Joseph), who reached on an error in the third inning.
The Falcons (14-19, 10-8 MAC) would tie the game in the fourth on a Paul Mellinger sacrifice fly plating Zach Brubaker.
The game remained scoreless through regulation until senior Heath Johnson (New Castle, Del./Charter School of Wilmington) singled through the right side in the eighth to bring home sophomore Mike Vitcavich (Pompton Plains, N.J./Pequannock).
Junior Greg Myers (Baltimore, Md./Parkville) picked up his team-leading eighth win of the season in his 10th start, striking out seven. He now leads the team with a 2.55 ERA and 60 strikeouts in 67.0 innings pitched.
In game two, Stevenson scored two runs in the first inning and held that 2-0 lead through the first five innings.
The Mustangs extended their lead to 4-0 in the sixth when Schilling hit his team-leading second homer of the season plating Johnson.
Messiah responded with three runs in their half of the sixth, then senior Matt Bratter (Flanders, N.J./Mount Olive) singled in Johnson to take a 5-3 lead into the bottom of the seventh.
After a Brubaker single scored Jon Lapp to make it 5-4, Jacob Sprengle hit a walk-off three-run homer to win the rubber game of the series.
Stevenson is now 18-2 when scoring first, the other loss came at home versus York (Pa.) who also rallied in the final inning on April 10. Also, coming into today the Mustangs were 19-0 when leading after six innings.
Junior Brooks Miller (Odenton, Md./Arundel) received a no-decision, pitching 6.1 innings giving up three earned runs and striking out four. Freshman Tim Davis (Taneytown, Md./Francis Scott Key) was tagged for the loss in his collegiate debut, as he was brought in to face Sprengle.
Stevenson returns to action on Tuesday traveling to Washington, D.C. for a nonconference contest against Catholic. First pitch is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.
