PURCHASE, N.Y. – Combining for 31 runs and 28 hits, the Wilkes University baseball team opened its three-game Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) series at Manhattanville College on Friday after, dropping the contest 16-15 in a game that showed no shortage of offense.

The Colonels are now 6-4 in conference and 11-11 overall this season.

Wilkes got the scoring started in the top of the first when Joe Champi (Dupont, PA/Pittston) launched a two-out solo home run to right field.

The Valiants answered in the bottom of the first with a three-run double.

The Colonels immediately answered in the top of the second with five runs. Matt Reinert (Telford, PA/Souderton) started the scoring with an RBI single scoring Nicholas Capozzi (Syracuse, NY/Christian Brothers Academy) after Capozzi led off the frame with a walk and moved to second on an Alex Halladay (West Chester, PA/Bayard Rustin) single, with Halladay advancing to third on Reinert's hit. After Reinert stole second and Tyler Walther (Wayne, NJ/Wayne Valley) walked, Brady Wing (Syracuse, NY/Jamesville-Dewitt) singled to bring home Halladay, with Reinert coming in to score on a fielding error by the right fielder. Jack Fischer (River Vale, NJ/Pascack Valley) then grounded out to score Walther before Champi doubled to left, scoring Michael Patrizio (Belle Mead, NJ/Montgomery), who had reached on a fielder's choice.

Manhattaville started the bottom of the second earning three consecutive walks, leading to a six run inning as the Valiants took a 9-6 lead. Manhattanville increased its lead to 11-6 with two runs in the bottom of the fourth.

In the top of the fifth, Capozzi led off with a single and moved to second after a Halladay walk before Reinert singled to load the bases with no outs. Walther followed with a run-scoring walk, followed by a fielder's choice from Wing that scored Halladay and moved Reinert to third. Reinert scored and Wing advanced to third on a throwing error on the pitcher and scored on a Patrizio single to right to cut the deficit to 11-10.

The one-run deficit did not last as Manhattanville used a lead-off home run and five hits, including a two-run home run, in the bottom of the fifth to retake a five-run lead at 16-11.

Wilkes began on the comeback trail in the top of sixth on a single from Wing that scored Halladay. The Colonels cut the deficit to 16-14 in the top of the seventh Capozzi and Halladay knocked consecutive sacrifice flies, scoring Fischer and Champi, respectively.

Wilkes finished the scoring in the top of the eighth when Patrizio and Jack Hines (Hawthorne, NJ/Hawthorne) executed a double-steal, leading to a throwing error from the Valiants catcher that allowed Patrizio to score as the game was called after the inning.

Matthew Konikow (Mahwah, NJ/Mahwah) went the first inning-plus on the mound for the Colonels, allowing seven runs (five earned) on four hits with three walks. Noah Durnin (Bath, PA/Northampton) suffered the defeat after he allowed six runs (four earned) on five hits with three walks and two strikeouts over 3.1 innings. Matt Maranca (North Brunswick, NJ/North Brunswick), Zach Adamchick (Bloomsburg, PA/Bloomsburg), and Andrew Indzonka (New Windsor, NY/Our Lady of Lourdes) finished the final 2.2 innings.

Champi finished the game 4-6 with two runs scored and three RBI's to lead Wilkes at the plate. Reinert (3-3, two runs scored, one RBI), and Wing (2-5, one run scored, three RBI's) also finished with multiple hits.

The Colonels return to the diamond tomorrow afternoon when they host Manhattanville at Artillery Park for a MAC Freedom doubleheader starting at 1:00 p.m.