Box Score

MADISON, NJ – The Colonels participated in another wild game with FDU-Florham, following up Saturday's epic doubleheader with a victory as Wilkes University defeated the Devils 13-10 in the final contest of the three-game Freedom Conference baseball series on Sunday afternoon. The win halted the Colonels six-game losing streak and evens their conference record at 6-6.

Both teams put a run on the board in the first inning, as Carmen Lopresto (Pittston, PA/Pittston Area) took advantage of an FDU error, scoring from second.

The scoring continued in the second and third innings, as Wilkes was able to take a 6-2 lead.

The Colonels three-run second inning started when Joel Watson (Honesdale, PA/Honesdale) reached on an error, before advancing to second on a single by Tyler Marino (Wilkes-Barre, PA/Meyers). Al Clocker (Swoyersville/Wyoming Valley West) then brought both home as he tripled down the right field line.

Lopresto then capped the inning when he singled to left, bringing home Clocker.

Watson had the huge hit in the third, continuing his power surge from Saturday with a two-run blast, his third homer of the series.

The Colonels tried to break open the game in the fifth, getting three more runs to take a 9-2 lead. Clocker provided the spark again, stroking a double down the left field line to bring home Angus Neary (Old Forge/Riverside). Rich Cosgrove (Wilkes-Barre/Meyers) then followed Clocker with his own double, bringing home Marino, who had walked earlier, and Clocker.

Two more runs in the sixth for Wilkes, answering a single run by the Devils in the fifth, helped the Colonels to an 11-3 lead.

Meanwhile, starter Zach Lazar (Berwick, PA/Berwick Area) provided steadiness on the mound for the Colonels, throwing six quality innings, allowing five hits and giving up just two earned runs.

After FDU picked up a run in the seventh, the Colonels added some insurance runs in the top of the ninth as Clocker again came through with a two-run homer to right field to put Wilkes up 13-4.

Those runs proved to be just enough as the Devils answered with six runs in the bottom half, including a grand slam from Joe Meglio with no one out.

Neary would step on the mound to close it out for the Colonels, getting the final three outs to earn the save.

Clocker finished the day one hit shy of the cycle, going 3-for-5 with five RBI and three runs scored. Hitting behind Clocker, Cosgrove went 4-for-5 with three RBI and Marino 3-for-4 with an RBI and three runs scored. Lazar picked up the win, improving to 2-1 on the year.

The Colonels and Devils combined for 87 runs and 94 hits in the series, wrapping up one of the highest scoring three-game totals in Wilkes history (39 runs).

The Colonels return to the field on Tuesday when they host PSU Hazleton for a single game at Artillery Park, with a first pitch set for 3:30 p.m. Wilkes did have a game with Marywood University set for Monday, but was postponed due to the Pacers needing to reschedule a conference game for tomorrow.