box score

It is now six-straight wins for the Wilkes University baseball team which pounded Marywood 16-2 at Artillery Park. The Colonels scored in double digits for the second-straight game and for the sixth time this season.

Colonel starter Tom Buckler (Plains, Pa./Coughlin) improved to 5-0 on the year after pitching five innings scattering six hits while giving up two runs, one of which was earned. Three pitchers combined to give up one hit the rest of the way in relief of Buckler. Sean Flecknoe (Wilkes-Barre, PA/G.A.R.) pitched two perfect innings, while Will Sisca (Katonah, NY/Somers) and Keith Rhinehammer (Wanamie, Pa./Nanticoke) pitched an inning each.

Wilkes pounded out 16 hits on the day with Matt Ruch (Dallas, Pa./Holy Redeemer ), Randy Dengler (Ashland, Pa./Tri-Valley ), Al Clocker (Swoyersville/Wyoming Valley West), John Florance (Binghamton, N.Y./Chenango Forks) and Trevin Jaggars (Honesdale, Pa./Honesdale) all picking up two hits each. Eleven different players registered a hit in a game that saw 22 Wilkes players see action in the field or at the plate.

The Colonels did most of their damage in two separate innings, scoring six runs in the second and six more in the sixth. Marywood got on the board first after picking up a run in the top of the first off two hits.

Leadoff batter Joe Diskin led off the game with a slow roller to the left side that hugged the foul line and would later steal second. Mike Castellano moved Diskin to third on a groundout to shortstop before Ryan Cusomato doubled to left field to score Diskin.

Wilkes countered with four hits in the bottom of the second including two-run doubles by Mike McAndrew (Avoca, Pa./Pittston Area) and Randy Dengler (Ashland, Pa./Tri-Valley ). The Colonels also took advantage of erratic pitching by Marywood starter Sam Webster, who hit John Florance (Binghamton, N.Y./Chenango Forks) and Jaggars to start the inning. Florance would later score on an RBI single by Eric Wetzel (New Berlin, N.J./Mifflinburg). McAndrew followed with a double to the gap in right driving in Jaggars and Wetzel. Dengler's double hit the netting above the left field wall, plating Matt Ruch (Dallas, Pa./Holy Redeemer ), who walked.

The Colonels would tack on two more runs in the fourth, thanks to a run scoring double to left center by Florance and an RBI single by Jaggars. Andrew Garofoli (Altoona, Pa./Bishop Guilfoyle) walked to lead off the inning and would later score on Florance's double, while Clocker, who reached on a fielder's choice, would reach home on Jaggars base hit.

Marywood tallied a run in the fifth off two hits and took advantage of a Wilkes throwing error for its only other run of the game. Diskin picked up his second hit of the game to leadoff the inning and would later score on one of the three errors the Colonels committed on the day.

Ten different players went to the plate in the bottom of the sixth that saw the Colonels tally four more hits, three of which were doubles. Wilkes had a total of six extra-base hits, all of which were doubles with Dengler and Florance picking up two each.

They would eventually pick up two more runs in the eighth to seal the victory. Wilkes is now 9-4 on the year including 2-0 on its home field. The Colonels will remain at home Saturday when they host Keuka in a double header starting at noon at Artillery Park.