Wilkes Baseball Erases Six-Run Deficit; Falls to Houghton on Walk-Off
FORT PIERCE, Fl. – The Wilkes University baseball team erased a six-run deficit against Houghton College, battling back to take the lead in the eighth inning but lost in walk-off fashion 12-11 on Saturday morning.
The Colonels finish their spring trip five games under .500.
Houghton jumped out to a 3-0 lead with one run in the bottom of the first and two in the second.
Wilkes cut the deficit to 3-2 in the top of the third when Michael Patrizio (Belle Mead, NJ/Montgomery) earned a one-out walk and stole second before Nicholas Capozzi (Syracuse, NY/Christian Brothers Academy) walked with two outs. Brandon Reno (Hunlock Creek, PA/Northwest Area) singled to bring home Patrizio and move Capozzi to third with Charles Giacometti Jr. (Dallas, PA/Dallas) stepping up next and lining a single to right bringing home Capozzi.
The Colonels tied the score in the top of the fourth when Matt Reinert (Telford, PA/Souderton) launched a two-out triple to left-center and came on a wild pickoff throw by the Highlanders' catcher.
Houghton exploded for six runs in the bottom of the fifth on six hits and one Wilkes error to take a 9-3 lead.
The Colonels immediately answered with two runs in the top of the sixth. Nick Pronti (Wood-Ridge, NJ/Wood-Ridge) singled to center with one out and moved to second on a wild pitch before Vinny Bobbin (Schuylkill Haven, PA/Blue Mountain) walked. After the Highlanders catcher threw another pickoff throw wide that allowed Pronti to move to third, Matt Reinert (Telford, PA/Souderton) walked to load the bases with one out. After a strikeout, Jack Fischer (River Vale, NJ/Pascack Valley) walked to bring home Pronti and Capozzi was hit by a pitch to score Bobbin.
Houghton added a tenth run in the bottom of the sixth on one hit and a sacrifice fly.
Wilkes slashed the advantage to just one run with a four run top of the seventh. Giacometti led off the inning by getting hit by a pitch and moved to second on a swinging bunt base hit from Brady Wing (Syracuse, NY/Jamesville-Dewitt). Pronti followed with a walk to load the bases, setting the stage for Bobbin's first career hit, a two-run double to left-center bringing home Giacometti and Wing. After Reinert walked and a strikeout, Fischer walked to bring in Pronti and Capozzi hit a rocket line-drive back at the pitcher that knocked his glove off, but he recovered in time to get Capozzi at first, but the out brought home Bobbin to make the score 10-9.
The Colonels took the lead in the top of the eighth when Giacometti led off with a walk and was erased on a fielder's choice from a bunt by Wing. Wing came in to score when Pronti doubled to center to tie the game, moving to third on a single from Bobbin and scoring on a fielder's choice off the bat of Reinert.
Wilkes was unable to hold the lead as the Highlanders scored once in the eighth and plated the winning run in the bottom of the ninth on a sacrifice fly to win the game.
Andrew Indzonka (New Windsor, NY/Our Lady of Lourdes) suffered his first defeat of the season, allowing one run on one hit with two walks in 1.1 innings.
Pronti led the offense going 3-for-4 with three runs scored and one RBI. Fischer, Reno, Giacometti, and Bobbin all finished with two hits.
The Colonels will now return north, where they are scheduled to open Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) play this Friday against Misericordia University starting at 3:30 p.m. at Artillery Park.
