Box Score

The Wilkes University baseball team took on Manhattanville away from home on Friday, competing in the first of three game against the Valiants on the weekend. After nine innings of play, Wilkes fell to the Valiants by a score of 8-6.

In the first, Wilkes wasted no time getting on the board, as a sacrifice fly by Matt Ruch (Dallas, Pa./Holy Redeemer ) scored Carmen Lopresto (Pittston, PA/Pittston Area) from third, and soon after a triple by Randy Dengler (Ashland, Pa./Tri-Valley ) scored Mike McAndrew (Avoca, Pa./Pittston Area), giving the Colonels an early 2-0 lead. In the bottom of the frame, the Valiants took advantage of multiple walks, scoring three runs on only two hits, and taking the lead after one inning played.

In the second inning Manhattanville added two more runs to its advantage, giving it a comfortable three run lead. Wilkes answered in the third, as Dengler singled in Angus Neary (Old Forge/Riverside) and McAndrew, narrowing the deficit to one. The Valiants once again pulled away in the bottom of the frame, tacking on one more run and sustaining its lead.

In the fourth Wilkes was able to tie things up when Lopresto singled, scoring Al Clocker (Swoyersville/Wyoming Valley West) and John Florance (Binghamton, N.Y./Chenango Forks). Unfortunately, over the next two innings, Manhattanville added two more runs, and the Colonels were unable to advance a runner across home plate for the rest of the contest, falling 8-6.

Wilkes was led by Dengler in the contest, as the senior catcher had two hits and three RBI's on the day. Lopresto also had two hits and drove in two runs, while McAndrew had two hits and scored two runs.

The Colonels will have another shot at the Valiants on Saturday, April 10. That double-header starts at Artillery Park at 1:00 p.m.