KINGSTON – The Wilkes University baseball team was able to split its up-and-down Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom doubleheader with Manhattanville College, falling in the first game 7-6 in nine innings before winning the second game 8-7 at Artillery Park on Saturday afternoon.

The Colonels now stand at 17-14 overall and 6-9 in MAC Freedom play.

Manhattanville jumped out to 5-0 lead in the first game, scoring two runs in the top of the third and three in the top of the seventh.

The Colonels, who managed only two hits through the first six innings, woke their bats up against the Valiants bullpen in the bottom of the seventh, scoring five runs on six hits to tie the game. Sophomore Joe Champi (Dupont, PA/Pittston) led off the inning with a walk and moved to third on a double to left-center by senior Ryan Herbst (East Islip, NY/St. John the Baptist). Junior Alex Kramer (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill East) stepped up next and grounded out to the shortstop, allowing Champi to score and Herbst to move to third. Following a strikeout, freshman Brady Wing (Syracuse, NY/Jamesville-Dewitt) stepped up as a pinch-hitter and laced a single up the middle to drive in Herbst. Junior James Brown (Covington, PA/North Pocono) stepped up next and hit a single to center field that moved Wing to second, and was followed by pinch-hitter junior Dan Eicher (Massapequa Park, NY/Kellenberg) who hit the third straight single to center to load the bases and was pinch-run for by freshman Alex Palmer (Shrewsbury, PA/Susquehanncok). Sophomore Jarret Clymer (Bethlehem, PA/Freedom) kept the inning going with a single up the middle to drive in Wing, and was followed by a game-tying two-run single to right off the bat of junior Joshua Slocum (Clarks Summit, PA/Abington Heights) that scored Brown and Palmer Clymer advancing to third. Champi stepped up next with a chance to win the game but hit a hard grounder that Manhattanville's third baseman made a diving play to end the inning and keep the game tied.

Manhattanville scored the final two runs in the top of the ninth on two hits and three Colonel miscues in the field to take a 7-5 lead. Wilkes attempted another comeback in the bottom of the ninth as Wing led off the inning with a walk, and following a strikeout, sophomore Michael Wozniack (Plains, PA/James M. Coughlin) was hit by a pitch. Clymer followed by hitting into a fielder's choice that moved Wing to third and forced Wozniack at second to put runners at the corners with two outs. Slocum would come through again with a run scoring single to left field to drive in Wing, with Champi stepping up to the plate with a chance to win the game again. Again, Champi scorched the ball but the Wilkes comeback was thwarted on a leaping catch of the line drive by the Valiants second baseman.

The Colonels were led at the plate in game one by Slocum, who finished 2-for-5 with three rbi's, and Herbst, who finished 2-for-4 with one run scored.

Wilkes junior Quinn Kelly (Collegeville, PA/Perkiomen Valley) pitched the first 6+ innings, surrendering three runs (two earned) on four hits with four walks and two strikeouts. Senior Patrick Condo (Dallas, PA/Holy Redeemer) pitched the next 1.1 innings giving up two runs on three hits with one strikeout. Junior Matt Kaster (Traben-Trabach, Germany/Crestwood) took the loss to fall to 3-2, throwing the final 1.2 innings and giving up two unearned runs on one hit with one walk and one strikeout.

The beginning of game two was all Colonels, as Wilkes jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first as Wing led off with a single, stole second, and moved to third on a single from junior Matthew Reese (Wellsboro, PA/Wellsboro). Champi followed and launched a three-run home run to straight-away center field, giving the Colonels the early lead. Wilkes added another run in the bottom of the second when Kramer drew a lead-off walk and moved to second on a single by Eicher and came around to score on a single by Wing.

Manhattanville started to chip away in the top of the fourth, scoring one run on two hits and a walk, and tied the game with four runs in the top of the fifth on three hits, two walks, a hit-by-pitch, and three Colonel errors.

Wilkes regained the lead in the bottom of the fifth when Wing led off with a triple to right-center and came home on a sacrifice fly from Clymer.

The Valiants responded with two runs in the top of the sixth on two hits, two walks, one hit-by-pitch, and two more Colonel errors to take a 7-6 lead.

Wilkes refused to go down as it scored two runs on four hits one walk, and one hit-by-pitch. Herbst led off with a single to center and moved to third on a hit-and-run single to write by Brown. Kramer followed with a perfect squeeze bunt that scored Herbst and moved Brown to second. Slocum hit an infield single to move Brown to third, and freshman Jack Fischer (River Vale, NJ/Pascack Valley) stepped up and hit a long double to left-center field to bring Brown home with the eventual winning run for an 8-7 lead.

Manhattanville got the winning run to second base in the top of seventh, but freshman Wandy Brito (Reading, PA/Reading) was able to slam the door and earn his first career save.

Wing led the Colonels in game two, finishing 3-for-3 with one rbi and two runs scored. Brown finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored while Champi went 1-for-3 with three rbi's and one run scored.

Senior Marcus Leaf (Reading, PA/Berks Catholic) threw the first 4.0 innings, giving up two runs on six hits with two walks and four strikeouts. Following two outings in which neither pitcher recorded an out, freshman Andrew Stambaugh (York, PA/Dallastown) stepped up and worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the fifth. Senior Patrick Condo (Dallas, PA/Holy Redeemer) earned his third win of the season, pitching 1.0 inning and giving up two runs on two hits with two walks and one strikeout. Brito finished giving up one hit in one inning with two strikeouts.

The Colonels return to action on Tuesday when they travel to Marywood for a 3:30 p.m. non-conference game.