FORT PIERCE, FL- Cairn took to the diamond Tuesday night under the lights, itching to get to play again after an off day on Monday. The Highlanders would do battle with the Messiah College Falcons which saw the Highlanders come from behind to secure the 9-6 victory.
Cairn wasted little time jumping out to 1-0 lead over Messiah in the second inning. The Highlanders did a great job of playing small ball when they were able to get a man on, move him over, and then get him in. Emilio Alvarez would continue his hot hitting in his first at bat of the night. Alvarez crushed a double to deep left center field and easily coasted into second with a stand-up double. Alejandro Fernandez put down a beautiful sacrifice bunt, which allowed Alvarez to move to third base. Alvarez would cross the plate after a Messiah wild pitch. Wild pitch or no wild pitch, Alvarez would have scored easily as Brett Marks also connected for a double of his own later in the inning.
Messiah did not let Cairn have the lead for long. Over the next two innings, Messiah capitalized off of two Cairn errors and pushed six runs across to take a commanding 6-1 lead in the third inning.
The Highlanders had a hard time figuring out the Messiah pitching staff in the middle innings of the game, and it would not be until the top of the seventh when Cairn would start chipping away at the Falcon lead. Dan Bierc would single to get the inning going offensively for Cairn. Sloppy defense from Messiah helped Cairn mount their comeback as Andrew Philips would reach on one of six Messiah errors on the evening. After the pinch runner was picked off at second for Cairn, it would be Philips who stole second to put himself into scoring position. Jake Allen then roped a double down the right field line, scoring Philips easily, and then due to another Messiah error, Allen would move to third. Brian Amantia stepped to the plate and blasted a single of his own to score Allen and Cairn cut the Falcon lead in half.
Cairn would complete the comeback in the top of the eighth inning and all with two outs. Daniel Morales singled to pitcher, and then back to back walks for the Highlanders loaded the bases. Andrew Philips came through with a two RBI single to right field to put the Highlanders within one run. Jake Allen drew another walk to reload the bases for Brian Amantia. Amanita hit a fly ball to the center field who lost the ball in the lights and was not able to secure the catch. Since there was two-outs in the inning, the Highlanders were running hard on contact, and Amantia cleared the bases to give Cairn the 8-6 lead. Back to back hits from Nate Wilson and Emilio Alvarez gave Cairn an extra insurance run, and the Highlanders would be six outs away from securing the second win of the spring break trip.
In the bottom of the ninth it was up to Sam Dralle to slam the door on the Falcons chances. Dralle came on in the seventh and was absolutely brilliant over his three innings of work. Dralle would get the first two Falcons in the ninth via the strikeout. Messiah needed a two out rally to keep their hopes alive. Hayner singled with two outs, but on the very first pitch of the next batter, Dralle got the Falcon hitter to pop up to Morales and the Highlanders completed the comeback.
After a full off day for Cairn on Wednesday, the Highlanders will be back action on Thursday as they will take on Washington College (Md) with first pitch coming at 1 pm.
