FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ELIZABETHTOWN COLLEGE BASEBALL
Saturday, March 27, 1999

ETOWN SWEEPS MESSIAH, 7-5 AND 1-0, TO CLAIM SHARE OF FIRST PLACE IN MAC COMMONWEALTH LEAGUE; AASAN TOSSES THREE-HIT SHUTOUT

Chris Romig's two-run single highlighted a six-run first inning that helped Etown pick up the victory in game one.  Teammate Kiah Sheppard went 3-for-3 with an RBI and one run scored in the opener while Weigle went the distance, scattering seven hits and fanning five to collect his team-best fourth win of the season.

In game two, Aasan and Messiah hurler Erik Scardino kept the offenses in check until Etown struck for the game's lone run in the fifth inning.

With one out, Buddy Touchinsky drew a walk and stole second base.  After Shawn Price flied out, Tim Downing (St. James, N.Y./Smithtown) lashed a single to center that scored Touchinsky to give the Blue Jays a 1-0 lead.

Aasan, who lowered his earned run average to an amazing 0.33 over a team-high 27-1/3 innings, retired six of the last seven batters he faced in the final two innings to close the door on his second shutout of the season.

Doug Enders singled, stole second and scored on a wild pitch to give the Falcons (4-11, 2-2 MAC Commonwealth League) a 1-0 lead in the first inning of game one.

Etown, however, used four hits and three Messiah errors to score six times in its half of the first inning and chase losing pitcher Eli Walters from the game.

Tyler Comp reached on an error to start the inning and Brad Karli followed with a base hit.  After  Weigle was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Romig plated Comp and Karli with a single to give the Blue Jays a 2-0 lead.

Sheppard promptly singled to reload the bases and Nolan Cassell reached on an error that chased in Weigle and Romig to make it 4-0 in favor of Etown.  Another throwing error on a sacrifice bunt by Touchinsky brought Sheppard home and Price gave the Blue Jays a six-run lead with an RBI single that scored Cassell.

In the second inning, Weigle doubled and scored on a base knock from Sheppard to give Etown a 7-1 advantage.

A two-out, two-run single by Seth Custer in the third inning pulled Messiah within 7-3.  Enders and Derek Price also collected an RBI for the Falcons in game one.

Etown returns to action on Monday, March 29 at home against Millersville University.  Game time is 3 p.m.

 Game One

MAC Commonwealth League	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	-	R	H	E
Messiah	1	0	2	0	0	1	1	-	5	7	3
Elizabethtown	6	1	0	0	0	0	x	-	7	8	0

Eli Walters, Brian Reitnour (1), Mike Garber (6) and Chuck Ross; Scott Weigle and Kiah Sheppard. WP: Weigle (4-0). LP: Walters. SO-BB: Walters 1-0, Retnour 2-1, Garber 1-0; Weigle 5-1. 2B: Derek Price (M), Caleb Crousey (M), Weigle (E).

 Game Two

MAC Commonwealth League	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	-	R	H	E
Messiah (4-11, 2-2)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	-	0	3	2
Elizabethtown (13-3, 3-1)	0	0	0	0	1	0	x	-	1	2	2

Erik Scardino and Chuck Ross; Derik Aasan and Sheppard. WP: Aasan (2-1). LP: Scardino. SO-BB: Scardino 1-2; Aasan 2-1.