Box Score

WILKES-BARRE – The Monarchs Tim Zaccone crossed the plate for the game-winning run in the bottom of the 12th inning as Wilkes University fell to rival King's College 4-3 in the third game a Freedom Conference baseball series on Wednesday afternoon.

Zaccone led off King's half of the final inning with a walk and then advanced to second after another walk the following batter.

A passed ball put both runners in scoring position before an error at third two batters later brought home Zaccone for the winning run.

The Colonels (10-5, 5-1) trailed 3-2 heading into the eighth, but took advantage of two errors by King's as Joel Watson (Honesdale, PA/Honesdale) got to second and Tom Plessl (Schnecksville, PA/Parkland) took first. Al Clocker (Swoyersville/Wyoming Valley West)'s single would bring home Watson as the Colonels knotted the game at three-apiece, eventually sending it into extra innings.

Wilkes led off the scoring in the top of the second, as Tay Sidler (Pottsville, PA/Pottsville Area) singled and advanced to second on an error. A single two batters later by Rich Cosgrove (Wilkes-Barre/Meyers) got Sidler over to third, where a groundout by Scott Skammer (Dallas, PA/Dallas) brought him home as the Colonels took the 1-0 lead.

The Monarchs didn't wait long to take the lead, getting three singles and two runs in their half of the second to take a 2-1 advantage.

The following inning, the Colonels got singles from Matt Ruch (Dallas, PA/Holy Redeemer) and Angus Neary (Old Forge/Riverside), before another single by Sidler brought home Ruch to tie the score at 2-2.

After two scoreless innings, King's retook the lead in the sixth on a solo homerun off the bat of Chris Sweeney.

Joey Troxell picked up the win for the Monarchs, giving up just one hit over the final 4.2 innings, striking out six and walking three.

Ruch went 3-for-4 to pace the Colonels while Sidler and Eric Bidwell (Binghamton, NY/Chenango Valley) each collected two hits.

Angelo Trento (Jamesburg, NJ/Monroe Twp.) took the loss in relief for the Colonels, giving up one hit and the unearned run in 1.1 innings, fanning two and walking two.

The loss ended the Colonels eight-game winning streak and prevented a second straight conference sweep and a 6-0 Freedom record to open the season.

Wilkes will hope for the skies to stay clear this weekend as the Colonels take on DeSales University in a three-game set, hosting the Bulldogs on Friday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. before traveling to Center Valley for a doubleheader on Saturday.