FORT PIERCE, FL – Drew University scored three runs in the seventh inning and two more in the eighth then held on despite a late comeback attempt by Wilkes University as the Rangers posted a 9-7 victory over the Colonels on Saturday afternoon.
 
Wilkes concludes its spring break trip with a 3-5 overall record.
 
After Drew took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth, Wilkes responded tying the game in its next at-bats scoring two runs of its own, both on an error by the Rangers shortstop.
 
Drew took back the advantage in the bottom half of the fifth plating its third run on a Wilkes wild pitch.
 
After the Rangers tacked on another run in the sixth, Wilkes answered with two runs in the top of the seventh tying the game for the second time. Brandon Reno (Hunlock Creek, PA/Northwest Area) drove home a run on an RBI single and Nick Malatesta (Bloomsburg, PA/Bloomsburg) followed with an RBI base hit in the two-run frame.
 
Drew took the lead right back at 7-4 in the bottom of the seventh scoring three runs on five hits.
 
Wilkes scored one time in the eighth thanks to a Michael Patrizio (Belle Mead, NJ/Montgomery) RBI groundout before two more Drew runs in the bottom of the frame kept the Rangers ahead 9-5 heading into the top of the ninth.
 
Matt Reinert (Telford, PA/Souderton) added an RBI hit scoring Bryan Nifenecker (Amityville, NY/St. Dominic) and a Ranger error at first base scored the Colonels second run of the frame to cut the Drew lead to 9-7. A lineout to second base ended the Wilkes rally as Drew held on for the two-run victory.
 
Wilkes pounded out 13 hits with Dominick Bayo (Swoyersville, PA/Wyoming Valley West) leading the way finishing 3-for-5. Malatesta and Nifenecker each added two hits.
 
Nolan Ott (Montoursville, PA/Montoursville Area) suffered the loss on the mound for Wilkes going one and a third allowing two runs on three hits. Starter Jack Gordon (Syracuse, NY/West Genesee) was solid pitching four and two thirds innings allowing three runs on seven hits.
 
Wilkes returns home to make its season debut on Bruggeworth Field on Wednesday with a game against Centenary College at 3:30 p.m.