The Messiah Falcons’ Division III baseball journey exemplifies faith in victory
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College baseball This year I saw a miracle at Messiah University.
Messiah Falcons It was one of the most historic seasons in the history of the program, and ran all the way to the Division III World Series Championship Game on June 5th.
But for manager Philippe Chamberger and his team, the goal didn’t even get there. Their goal was simply to be a good Christian.
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Messiah Falcons coach Phil Chamberger will address the team at a dugout before the Division III Men’s Baseball Championship with the Wisconsin Whitewater Warhawks on June 3, 2025 at Classic Park in East Lake, Ohio. (Isaiah Vazquez/NCAA photo via Getty Images)
It started to become like, “Ok, I can win the national championship,” and “How can I bring people closer to Christ.”
Midway through this season, the team received a priority shift after a 1-6 start. They no longer appeared in the clubhouse every day with a main goal to win. Now they were simply serving Christ.
“We were sitting in the video room and we were showing the other pitchers, showing us what the other teams were doing and really focusing on what they were doing,” Schamberger said. “And at that point we started shifting just by diving into words a little more.
“It was a little more in prayer, a little less in scouts, and that was actually when we started playing much better.”
Shallenberger has his players carry a 250-pound cross to train their team.
“We do that in between games in the middle of meeting season,” Schamberger said.
But one day, Knight did a cross-carry workout on April 17th just before his match against Eastern. He pitched eighth and third shutout innings with nine strikeouts in the game.
It marked a shocking turn for Knight, who got off to a poor start to the season at the 9/26 ERA.
“For me, the most important thing is to praise God, and to sacrifice why we are in our best condition, and to sacrifice reason to resort to the Lord, and know that if that strength means the choices that have begun to be made afterwards, then you know what you can do for me.
The Messiah University baseball helmet is read as “one way” on a cross. (Commentary by Messiah University)
Knight says that this change came in the morning when he was reading the Bible and hears God say to him, “It’s not about you.”
“I was depressed when I was focused on myself. And when God’s change said to me, ‘It’s not about you,’ I saw the change when I was trying to serve other people.
The Knights and the Falcons were arrested from a 1-6 start on March 4th in a 16-4 victory over Dickinson College. From there they became one of the hottest teams in the Divison III, earning 16 of the next 19.
Along the way, Shallenberger and his players began to add the Bible to their playcall wristbands.
“I’d say ‘anything, bunt defense’ or whatever we wanted. But (Shallenberger) added proverbs like, “I will give up your hand” or “I will give up Jesus to all.”
“So I know. I might make mistakes a lot, end the innings and run on the field, or go out a bit on my own.
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The Messiah’s baseball team speaks and prays. (The Messiah’s Unchanging Courtesy)
Players also studied the characters Bible Apostle Paul has become a team favorite.
They finished the regular season 27-13, then broke through the Commonwealth Tournament, the NCAA Regionals, the Super Regionals and the first two rounds of the World Series.
They took home the trophy and lost to the University of Wisconsin Whitewater in two games.
However, many of the other dedicated players from Hearst, Knight and Shamberger will return next year for a full season where they may believe in victory.
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