Steve Finkernagel

Scott Skammer led all Colonel bats with six hits against King's in the Freedom doubleheader Sunday

WILKES BASEBALL WALKS OFF WITH SWEEP OF KING’S COLLEGE

4/7/2013 8:00:00 PM

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

WILKES BASEBALL WALKS OFF WITH SWEEP OF KING'S COLLEGE

WILKES-BARRE – A bases loaded, two out, single off the bat of Joe Dantas (Reading, PA/Fleetwood) gave the Wilkes University baseball team a 10-9 win in game two after edging the Monarchs 11-7 in the first game in route to a sweep of King's College Sunday afternoon at Artillery Park.

With the sweep, the Colonels improve to 13-9 overall and 5-7 in Freedom action while King's falls to 13-9 and 4-8 in league action. Wilkes is currently in fifth place in the Freedom standings as Manhattanville holds the same league record but edged Wilkes in the three game series.

In game one, starter Brandon Carling (Old Forge, PA/Old Forge Area) made quick work of the Monarch bats in the first inning, and Wilkes responded with a three spot in the bottom of the frame. Scott Skammer (Dallas, PA/Dallas) singled and was out at second on a Bobby Schappell (Pottsville, PA/Pottsville) fielder's choice. Carmen Lopresto (Pittston, PA/Pittston Area) walked and Stephen Ruch (Dallas, PA/Holy Redeemer) delivered the big blow of the inning with a three run shot over the left center field fence. In the bottom of the second, the Colonel bats went back to work, this time sending ten batters to the plate and delivering five runs. Tim Benner (Catawissa, PA/Southern Columbia) singled and Marcus Leaf (Reading, PA/Berks Catholic) doubled before Skammer singled to plate both speedsters. Another patient Lopresto at bat drew a walk to load the bases before Ruch and Adam Misirua delivered back-to-back RBI singles. Tyler Marino (Wilkes-Barre, PA/Meyers) capped the inning with an RBI single to right field before the Monarchs induced a ground ball double play to escape further damage.

A Chris Sweeney long ball garnered two Monarch runs in the third, but Carling got two groundouts to limit the King's bats. The Monarchs pushed four runners across the plate in the top of the sixth, but relief pitcher A.J. Mihaly (Berwick, PA/Berwick Area) struck out Cody Krupa to strand the bases loaded and retire the side in the seventh for an 11-7 win in game one.

Carling earned his first win, scattering six hits and three runs. Skammer and Ruch collected three hits while Leaf garnered two of his own.

In game two, King's held a 5-3 lead before plating three runs in the top of the sixth for an 8-3 lead going into the bottom half of the inning. However, the Colonels sent ten batters to the plate to score five runs and snag the momentum. Pinch hitter Tom Ring (Massapequa Park, NY/St. John the Baptist) started the inning with a single up the middle before Dantas walked and Marino reached base on an error. Leaf laced a two run double down the left field line before Benner hit an RBI single to right. Schappell garnered an RBI on a fielder's choice before Lopresto hit an RBI single to cap the Colonel rally.

King's scored a lone run in the top of the eighth on a Tim Marchetti RBI single, before Wilkes sent two runs of their own across the plate in walk off fashion. Benner led off the inning with a walk, before pinch runner Nick Craig (Springfield, PA/The Haverford School) advanced to third on a Skammer single. A Lopresto walk loaded the bases before Ruch delivered an RBI single to right field and set the stage for a Dantas walk off single over the head of the right fielder.

Marc Perry (Dunmore, PA/Dunmore) earned his second win of the season, working 2 and 2/3 innings of three hit ball. Skammer led the offense with three hits while Leaf added two base knocks of his own.

Wilkes returns to action when they travel to St. David's Friday for a nine inning game against Eastern. First pitch is set for 3:30 p.m.

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