Steve Finkernagel

Marino had three hits, three RBI's and two runs scored vs. Keuka in the doubleheader

COLONELS BATS CARRY THEM PAST KEUKA IN NON-CONFERENCE TWINBILL

3/27/2014 11:03:00 PM

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COLONELS BATS CARRY THEM PAST KEUKA IN NON-CONFERENCE TWINBILL

EDWARDSVILLE, PA – Wilkes pounded out 29 hits in two games as they swept Keuka College in a non-conference doubleheader on Thursday afternoon. The Colonels won game one 14-2 and continued the hot hitting in game two as they won 11-6.

Wilkes improves to 8-6 on the season while Keuka falls to 5-4.

In game one Wilkes jumped on Keuka's Greg Starks early, as they put up six runs against the right-hander in the bottom of the first inning to lead 6-0 after one. The Colonels did most of their damage in the first with two-outs. Stephen Ruch (Dallas, PA/Holy Redeemer) laced a double to left scoring Matt Reese with the first run of the game. After a Joshua Slocum (Clarks Summit, PA/Abington Heights) fly out to center gave the Storm two outs Tyler Marino (Wilkes-Barre, PA/Meyers) doubled in two RBI's to make it 3-0. Eric Hauer (Wapwallopen, PA/Greater Nanticoke Area) kept the inning alive as he reached base by an error from the third baseman. Deep Patel (Dallas, PA/Dallas) and Matthew Reese (Wellsboro, PA/Wellsboro) followed with RBI singles extending the lead to 6-0. In the bottom of the second Dan Pisanchyn (Clarks Summit, PA/Abington Heights) smacked his first homerun of the season to put the Colonels up 7-0. In the bottom of the 3^rd a Deep Patel (Dallas, PA/Dallas) double scored Tyler Marino (Wilkes-Barre, PA/Meyers) and a Bobby Schappell (Pottsville, PA/Pottsville) RBI single scored Patel increasing the lead to 9-0.

Stephen Ruch (Dallas, PA/Holy Redeemer) started on the mound for the Colonels and he had his stuff working for him from the beginning. In the top of the third he retired the side on strikeouts. Keuka finally pushed a run across the plate in the top of the 4^th to cut the Colonels lead to 9-1. Ruch went 5.0 innings allowing three hits, one run, while striking out seven and walking zero Keuka batters. Ruch picked up his first win of the season.

The Colonels continued to pad their lead in the bottom of the 4^th as they plated five more runs on five hits. Ryan Herbst (East Islip, NY/St. John the Baptist) had a big two RBI double to right center, with Hauer, Patel and Tom Ring (Massapequa Park, NY/St. John the Baptist) all plating RBI singles in the inning. The 15 hits in game one is a season high for the Colonels.

In game two, Keuka jumped off to an early 1-0 lead on a Jake Burachalk sacrifice fly to right that scored Justyn Schuck. Wilkes responded in the bottom of the 2^nd as they took the lead with two runs courtesy of a Herbst RBI double and Schappell single up the middle that plated Bobby O'Keefe (Bethpage, NY/Bethpage). Johhny Jan Jr. entered the game in the top of the 3^rd for the Colonels and gave up three runs that put the Storm back on top 4-2. The lead was short lived again however, as the Colonels put a four spot on the board in the bottom of the 4^th inning. Ring hit a sac fly to right that plated Reese. Ruch doubled to left center scoring Schappell, followed by a Marino ground-rule double that scored Ruch. A Storm wild pitch allowed James Brown (Covington, PA/North Pocono) to safely slide in at home pushing the Colonels lead to 6-4.

Burachalk trimmed the Colonels lead to one with a left centerfield blast off of Forrest Jordan (Sullivan County, PA/Sullivan County) but just like the previous times when the Storm would score the Colonels would rally for runs of their own. The Colonels used a watchful eye and a hit-by-pitch to plate three runs in the 5^th. Marino and Brown walked with the bases loaded while Marcus Leaf (Reading, PA/Berks Catholic) was drilled with a pitch plating Ring. Keuka scored a run in the top of the 6^th to make the score 9-6. Herbst hit a monster shot over the left centerfield wall in the bottom of the 6^th and Ruch finished the scoring for Wilkes with an RBI single to left that gave the Colonels their 11^th and final run of the game.

Johnny Jan Jr. (Germantown, MD/Northwest) picked up the win in relief moving his record to 1-1 on the season.

The Colonels return to action tomorrow when they travel to Freedom Conference leading DeSales for a single game vs. the Bulldogs. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30 P.M. from Center Valley, PA.

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