Wilkes Baseball Drops Home Opener to Eastern
KINGSTON - The Wilkes University baseball team dropped its home and Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom-opening game to Eastern University by a 10-4 final on Friday afternoon at Artillery Park.
The Colonels are now 7-5 on the season and 0-1 in MAC Freedom play.
The Eagles struck first in the top of the third, loading the bases on a two walks and a single, all with two outs. Eastern then hit a sinking line drive to center field which appeared to be a diving catch but was ruled a hit with all three runners coming around to score and give the Eagles an early 3-0 lead. Eastern added to its lead in the top of the fifth, scoring two runs on three hits and one walk to push its lead to 5-0.
Wilkes got on the board in the bottom of the fifth on two walks and one hit. Senior
Ryan Herbst (East Islip, NY/St. John the Baptist) and sophomore
Jarret Clymer (Bethlehem, PA/Freedom) walked, and sophomore
Joe Champi (Dupont, PA/Pittston) lined a single to center field to drive in Herbst, but Clymer was caught coming home on a relay from the Eagles shortstop to end the inning.
Eastern added its sixth run in the top of the seventh on one hit, one hit by pitch, and a wild pitch.
The Colonels scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh when freshman
Brady Wing (Syracuse, NY/Jamesville-Dewitt) pinch-hit and walked, Clymer hit a hard ground ball up the middle that the Eagles second baseman dove for and was unable to make the play, and Champi hit a laser three-run home run out to the deepest part of centerfield to cut the Eagles lead to 6-4.
Eastern scored four more runs in the top of the ninth on three hits, one walk, and two hit by pitches, with the big hit a grand slam from the Eagles second baseman to finish the scoring at 10-4.
Wilkes junior starting pitcher
Quinn Kelly (Collegeville, PA/Perkiomen Valley) dropped to 0-2 on the season with the loss, going four-plus innings, surrendering five earned runs on six hits with two walks and three strikeouts.
The Colonels travel to Eastern tomorrow for a MAC Freedom doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.
