DOYLESTOWN, Pa - Junior Joshua Slocum (Clarks Summit, PA/Abington Heights) hit a one-out sacrifice fly to drive in the winning run and back a second consecutive strong effort from the Colonels pitchers to lead the Wilkes University baseball team to its first win in Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom play on Thursday afternoon in a 2-1 win over Delaware Valley University.

The Colonels improved to 9-7 overall and 1-3 in MAC Freedom play with the win.

For the second straight game, Wilkes was involved in a true pitcher's duel as Colonels junior Quinn Kelly (Collegeville, PA/Perkiomen Valley) and Aggies starter Jeremy Hefele surrendered no runs through the first seven innings. Hefele blinked first, surrendering a run in the top of the eighth after junior Matthew Reese (Wellsboro, PA/Wellsboro) reached on a two-out error and was driven in by junior James Brown (Covington, PA/North Pocono)'s double to the left center gap.

After Kelly walked the leadoff batter in the bottom of the eighth, junior Matt Kaster (Traben-Trabach, Germany/Crestwood) was brought in to keep the runner where he was but Delaware Valley was able to sacrifice the runner to second and drive him in with a single to right center and tie the game.

Wilkes answered the call in the top of the ninth when sophomore Joe Champi (Dupont, PA/Pittston) led off the inning with a walk and was followed by a double to right center by senior Ryan Herbst (East Islip, NY/St. John the Baptist). After a line-out, Slocum stepped up to the plate a hit a fly ball to right field that plated the winning run as Kaster finished the ninth inning unscathed for his second win of the season.

Kelly pitched seven-plus innings surrendering one earned run on four hits with one walk and six strikeouts. Kaster pitched the final two innings giving up two hits with two strikeouts. Hefele went the distance for the Aggies scattering six hits and two runs (one earned) while walking three and striking out eight.

Slocum finished the game 1-for-3 with one rbi, Brown went 1-for-4 with an rbi, and Champi finished 1-for-2 with two walks and a run scored.

The Colonels return to action tomorrow when they host Delaware Valley for a 1 p.m. MAC Freedom doubleheader at Artillery Park.