KINGSTON – Manhattanville College hit a two-run home run in the top of the ninth to take 7-6 lead that would stand as the Wilkes University baseball team fell in Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom action at Artillery Park on Friday afternoon.

The Colonels fell to 10-21 overall and 4-12 in conference play.

Wilkes got on the board in the bottom of the fourth with back-to-back solo home runs from Joshua Slocum (Clarks Summit, PA/Abington Heights) and James Brown (Covington, PA/North Pocono).

The Colonels expanded their lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the fifth with one run on one hit. Jorge Gonzalez (Reading, PA/Conrad Weiser) led off the inning with a walk but was forced out at second when Brady Wing (Syracuse, NY/Jamesville-Dewitt) hit into a 5-4 fielder's choice. Jack Fischer (River Vale, NJ/Pascack Valley) followed getting hit by a pitch, with Wing moving to third after Matt Dacey (Mountaintop, PA/Holy Redeemer) hit a deep fly out to right field, with Slocum bringing Wing home on a single to center field.

Manhattanville took a 4-3 lead in the top of the sixth, scoring four runs on three hits.

Wilkes tied the score in the bottom of the seventh with one run on one hit and one Valiant error. Brady Wing (Syracuse, NY/Jamesville-Dewitt) hit a one-out double to left and came in to score after a fly out led to Manhattanville's center fielder throwing the ball out of play, allowing Wing two bases.

The Valiants retook the lead in the top of the eighth with one run on two hits.

The Colonels took a 6-5 lead in the bottom of the eighth with two runs on three hits and one error. Nicholas Capozzi (Syracuse, NY/Christian Brothers Academy) singled through the left side with one out before Alex Kramer (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill East) hit a single to right that got through the right fielder, allowing Kramer to reach second and Capozzi to score. After Alex Palmer (Shrewsbury, PA/Susquehannock) pinch ran, Gonzalez singled to left to bring Palmer home.

Manhattanville took the lead for good in the top of the ninth with a two-out two-run home run.

Chris Nixon (Swoyersville, PA/Wyoming Valley West) started on the mound for Wilkes, pitching the first 5.2 innings, surrendering four runs on five hits with two walks and seven strikeouts. Matthew Reese (Wellsboro, PA/Wellsboro) followed with 1.1 scoreless innings. Matt Kaster (Traben-Trabach, Germany/Crestwood) fell to 1-4 with the defeat, giving up three runs on three hits with one walk and three strikeouts over two innings.

Wing (2-5, two runs), Slocum (2-5, one run, two RBI's), and Kramer (2-4) led the Colonels at the plate.

Wilkes returns to action tomorrow when they travel to Manhattanville for a 1:00 p.m. MAC Freedom doubleheader.