Box Score
ST. DAVIDS – The Colonels rallied from a 3-0 deficit, getting four runs in the eighth inning, including a three-run homerun from
Angus Neary (Old Forge/Riverside), as Wilkes University got a 7-5 win over Eastern University in the Freedom Conference baseball opener for both teams on Friday afternoon in St. Davids.
Down 3-0 entering the fifth,
Tyler Marino (Wilkes-Barre, PA/Meyers) got things started with a leadoff single to right. A double by
Joel Watson (Honesdale, PA/Honesdale) moved Marino over to third, before a single by
Scott Skammer (Dallas, PA/Dallas) two batters later cleared the bases as the Colonels trailed by just one.
Skammer went on to steal second and when the Eagles committed an error two batters later, was able to score to knot the game at three-apiece.
After two scoreless innings,
Carmen Lopresto (Pittston, PA/Pittston Area) got some help from Eastern in the top of the eighth, getting to second with the help of an Eagles error. The Colonels capitalized, as
Tom Plessl (Schnecksville, PA/Parkland) singled and
Matt Ruch (Dallas, PA/Holy Redeemer) followed that up with a double, driving home Lopresto to take their first lead of the game.
Neary then stepped to the plate, driving a shot over the fence in left center, bringing home Plessl and Ruch as Wilkes went on top 7-3.
Mark Siebel (Rumson, NJ/Rumson Fair Haven) relieved starter
Al Clocker (Swoyersville/Wyoming Valley West) in the bottom half of the inning, promptly giving up a solo homer, but got out of the inning giving up just one more hit. The Eagles got another run off Siebel with a two-out RBI single, but again the closer finished off the inning, picking up his fourth save of the season.
After giving up one hit in the first two innings, Clocker let the Eagles get to him in the third, giving up a leadoff homerun as Eastern took a 1-0 lead.
Eastern (4-5-1, 0-1) followed with back-to-back singles before a third single two batters later drove in both runs as the Eagles took the early 3-0 lead. Clocker then settled down over the next four innings, giving up just two hits and allowing only three base runners.
Clocker got the win in seven innings, striking out five while giving up three earned runs on seven hits. He evens his record at 1-1 on the year.
The homerun was Neary's only hit of the game while Plessl and Marino collected two hits apiece.
The Colonels (6-4, 1-0) return home to host Eastern in a Saturday doubleheader with a first pitch scheduled for noon at Artillery Park.
