DALLAS, PA – Pitching was in full display on Sunday afternoon for both teams as the Wilkes University baseball team dropped a pair of one-run games at Misericordia University in a MAC Freedom doubleheader at Tambur Field. The Colonels fell 4-3 in game one before losing 1-0 in the night cap.
 
Wilkes moved to 6-14 overall and 1-7 in MAC Freedom games following the doubleheader.
 
Joe Champi (Dupont, PA/Pittston) put Wilkes on the board first in game one connecting on a solo home run to left field in the top of the second. Misericordia tied the game in the bottom of the fourth using an RBI single to plate its first run of the contest.
 
The Colonels took the lead back in the top of the fifth scoring one run in the frame. Matt Reinert (Telford, PA/Souderton) led off with a single to the left side before moving up to second on a groundout. When Jorge Gonzalez (Reading, PA/Conrad Weiser) reached on an error in the next at bat, Reinert scored on the play to plate the lone run in the inning.
 
Misericordia answered back in the bottom of the fifth scoring two runs to take a 3-2 advantage. An RBI double to left field and a Wilkes error at second base plated the tying and go ahead tallies. The Cougars added an insurance run in the sixth following another Wilkes miscue, this time at shortstop.
 
Wilkes attempted a comeback in the top of the seventh when Brady Wing (Syracuse, NY/Jamesville-Dewitt) connected on an RBI single to left field, but was thrown out trying to stretch the hit into a double at second base to end the rally.
 
Wilkes saw seven different hitters reach base safely. Quinn Kelly (Collegeville, PA/Perkiomen Valley) pitched 4.1 innings in the start allowing just two runs on three hits. Matt Kaster (Traben-Trabach, Germany/Crestwood) entered in relief pitching 1.2 innings allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits recording the loss on the mound.
 
Garrett Pelko picked up the win for the Cougars pitching 6.1 innings allowing three runs on five hits.
 
Game two proved to be even more of a pitching gem as Wilkes starter Chris Nixon (Swoyersville, PA/Wyoming Valley West) and Misericordia starter Tim Burek went back-and-forth tying down opposing hitters. The game went scoreless through five innings before a single, sacrifice bunt and another single scored the only run of the game for the Cougars.
 
Tyler Walther (Wayne, NJ/Wayne Valley) led off the seventh for Wilkes with a double, but a fly out, pop out and ground out ending the rally for the Colonels.
 
Nixon went six innings allowing just one run on four hits striking out four Cougars. Burek went all seven innings holding the Colonels scoreless scattering six hits while striking out seven batters
 
The two teams complete the season series tomorrow (Monday) with a nine-inning game at Artillery Park starting at 3:30 p.m.