game one    game two

The Colonel baseball team scored early and often in their two-game sweep over cross town rival King's College, scoring a combined 33 runs on the day. Wilkes won the first game 23-6 at King's Lipo Field before winning the second game 10-3 at Artillery Park in Kingston. Wilkes improved to 20-5 overall and 6-1 in Freedom Conference play.

The Colonels scored at least one run in 11 of the combined 17 innings, including multiple runs in nine of those frames. The biggest outburst was in the first inning of the first game where Wilkes scored seven runs which proved to be the difference in game one. Not only did the seven spot give the Colonels a boost to start the game, but set the tone for the rest of the day. Wilkes pounded out 33 combined hits in both games including 10 for extra bases.

In the first game, 21 different players saw action for Wilkes and 10 different players picked up hits while 11 scored at least one run. Second baseman Geoff Miller (Pottsville, Pa./Pottsville) nearly outscored the entire King's team with five runs, while left fielder Tom Buckler (Plains, Pa./Coughlin) crossed home plate three times. Leadoff hitter Mike McAndrew (Avoca, Pa./Pittston Area) had seven at-bats in the first game and picked up two of his three hits in the first inning. His third hit was a triple to right field in the top of the sixth.

Miller finished the first game by going 4-for-5 with five RBI to go along with his five runs scored. Right fielder Al Clocker (Swoyersville/Wyoming Valley West) and third baseman Shane Keister (Middleburg, Pa./Midd-West) picked up five RBI as well as the two combined for five hits.

The Colonels sent 46 batters to the plate and struck out just eight times in the win.

Wilkes led 10-0 after the first two innings before King's scored three runs in the bottom of the second. Two more runs in the bottom of the third and a single run in the fourth brought the Monarchs within four, but a three-run fifth and five-run sixth all but killed any chance of a comeback.

Four different pitchers saw action for the Colonels with starter Justin Huff (Montrose, Pa./Montrose) going three innings giving up five runs off seven hits before Mark Siebel (Rumson, NJ/Rumson Fair Haven) pitched the next three innings. Siebel gave up just three hits and an earned run to improve to 2-1 on the year. Shawn Ward (Moosic, Pa./Riverside) pitched two innings where he gave up just one hit while Mike Ulceski (Schuylkill, Pa./North Schuylkill), pitching for the first time this season, retired the only three batters he faced in the ninth.

The Colonels surpassed the 20 run barrier for the third time this season and the 23-run output marks the second most Wilkes has scored this season.

The second game saw the Colonels jump out to a 2-0 lead after the first inning thanks to back-to-back homers by Matt Ruch (Dallas, Pa./Holy Redeemer ) and designated hitter Joel Watson (Honesdale, PA/Honesdale). Ruch extended his hitting streak to 14 games with a total of six hits on the day and has 11 hits over the last four games. He finished the second game with five RBI and a run scored.

The Monarchs would tie the game after a two-run blast by Matt Unger over the left field fence in the top of the second, but it wouldn't phase the Colonels as they answered with three more runs in the third.

The lead would be enough for Buckler, who improved to 8-1 after throwing six innings where he gave up three runs off eight hits while striking out five. Freshman Sean Flecknoe (Wilkes-Barre, PA/G.A.R.) picked up his fourth save of the season after throwing the final 2.1 innings where he gave up just three hits. He has yet to allow a run, either earned or unearned in 11.1 innings of work this season.

The Colonels have now won six-straight and 17 of their last 18 games and will try to keep their streak in tact when they head to St. Davids to take on Eastern in a double header starting at noon on Monday.