CENTER VALLEY, Pa. – The Wilkes University baseball team opened its Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom schedule on Saturday afternoon, falling 2-1 in game one before falling 6-3 in the second game two.

The Colonels fell to 5-8 overall and 0-2 in MAC Freedom play.

The game remained scoreless until the top of the fourth, when Wilkes pushed across one run on one error. Sophomore Jack Fischer (River Vale, NJ/Pascack Valley) reached base on a throwing error and advanced to second when sophomore Nick Capozzi walked. Junior Joe Champi (Dupont, PA/Pittston) drove home Fischer with an rbi double that moved Capozzi to third and give the Colonels a 1-0 lead.

DeSales tied the game in the bottom of the fourth on two hits, and took the lead in the bottom of the fifth with one run on three hits.

Senior Johnny Jan Jr. (Germantown, MD/Northwest) suffered the loss, surrendering two runs on seven hits with one walk and one strikeout.

Champi finished 1-for-3 with one RBI while senior James Brown (Covington, PA/North Pocono) went 2-for-3.

DeSales jumped out in the bottom of the first with one run on one hit.

The Colonels took the lead in the top of the second, scoring two runs on two hits. Senior Joshua Slocum (Clarks Summit, PA/Abington Heights) led off with a single to center and advanced to second when Brown walked. Following a fly out, senior Tanner Smith (Upper Black Eddy, PA/Palisades) walked to load the bases before freshman Tyler Walther (Wayne, NJ/Wayne Valley) singled to right field to drive in Slocum and Brown and moved Smith to third.

The Bulldogs tied the game in the bottom of the second scoring one run on two hits and pushed the lead to 4-2 in the third with two runs on three hits.

Wilkes cut the deficit to 4-3 in the top of the sixth with one run on one hit and one error. Smith led off the inning with a single and advanced to second on a groundout and came in to score on an error by the right fielder.

DeSales added two runs in the bottom of the sixth on one hit and one error to finish the scoring.

Senior Quinn Kelly (Collegeville, PA/Perkiomen Valley) took his first defeat of the season, giving up four runs on eight hits and five walks with two strikeouts.

Champi led the way in game two, finishing   2-for-4.

The Colonels return to action tomorrow when they return to DeSales for the series finale at 1:00 p.m.