FORT PIERCE, Fl. – The Wilkes University baseball team finished the next-to-last day of its spring break trip by splitting its two games, defeating Bridgewater State 6-3 before falling to Widener University by an 8-1 final on Thursday afternoon.

The Colonels are 5-5 on the season.

Against Bridgewater State, Wilkes got the scoring started in the top of the second on two hits and a walk. Senior Joshua Slocum (Clarks Summit, PA/Abington Heights) led off the inning with a single and advanced to second on a single from senior James Brown (Covington, PA/North Pocono), with both runners advancing on a passed ball. Slocum came into score on a fielder's choice off the bat of sophomore Jorge Gonzalez (Reading, PA/Conrad Weiser).

The Bulldogs tied the game in the bottom of the second, scoring one run on two hits and an error, and pushed its lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the fourth with two runs on two hits and a hit-by-pitch.

The Colonels retook the lead in the top of the fifth, scoring three runs on one hit, one error, and three walks. Sophomore Jack Fischer (River Vale, NJ/Pascack Valley) led off the inning with a walk and advanced to second when sophomore Nick Capozzi walked. Fischer advanced to third on a fielder's choice from junior Joe Champi (Dupont, PA/Pittston) that forced Capozzi at second, and Fischer came in to score on a fielding error off the bat of junior Jarret Clymer (Bethlehem, PA/Freedom). Champi and Clymer both advanced one base on a balk and Slocum walked to load the bases. Following a strikeout, sophomore Keaton Allison (Aiken, SC/Aiken) laced a single to left to score Champi and Clymer.

Wilkes pushed its lead to 6-3 in the top of the eighth, pushing across two runs on two hits and one error. Sophomore Brady Wing (Syracuse, NY/Jamesville-Dewitt) started the inning with a single and advanced to second on an error off the bat of Fischer with both runners advancing on a passed ball. Capozzi hit a single to drive in Wing and move Fischer to third with Fischer scoring on a double play.

Senior Johnny Jan Jr. (Germantown, MD/Northwest) earned his first win of the season, throwing eight innings and giving up three runs on six hits with four walks and six strikeouts. Senior Chris Nixon (Swoyersville, PA/Wyoming Valley West) earned his first save after working a scoreless ninth inning.

Wing led the Colonels at the plate against Bridgewater State, finishing 3-for-5 with one run scored. Capozzi (2-for-4, one rbi) and Allison (2-for-4, two rbi's) rounded out the hitters with multiple hits.

Against Widener, the Pride started the scoring early with two runs in the bottom of the second, one in the bottom of the fourth, four in the bottom of the sixth, and one in the bottom of the seventh.

Wilkes got on the board in the top of ninth with one run on two hits. Freshman Tyler Walther (Wayne, NJ/Wayne Valley) hit a two-out triple and came in to score on a single from Fischer.

Freshman Andrew Freedenberg (Camp Hill, PA/Camp Hill) took the loss for the Colonels, surrendering three runs on three hits with five walks and six strikeouts in 4.2 innings.

Walther, Fischer, and freshman Jeshurun Sestito (Frederica, DE/Harvest Christian Academy) each had one hit.