Hibschman's Gem Leads Wilkes Baseball to Split with Arcadia
GLENSIDE, Pa. – The Wilkes University baseball team kicked off the 2021 season splitting its doubleheader with Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom newcomer Arcadia University, taking game one 12-1 before falling in game two 12-0 on Saturday afternoon.
Both teams stand at 1-1 on the season.
The Colonels got on the board in the top of the first inning in game one as Michael Patrizio (Belle Mead, NJ/Montgomery) led off with a walk and was followed by a single from Dominick Bayo (Swoyersville, PA/Wyoming Valley West), with both players advancing a base on the play. Nick Pronti (Wood-Ridge, NJ/Wood-Ridge) brought Patrizio home on a groundout to give Wilkes a 1-0 lead.
The Colonels added two runs in the top of the second when Matt Reinert (Telford, PA/Souderton) hit a one-out single and moved to third on a double from Vinny Bobbin (Schuylkill Haven, PA/Blue Mountain). After Patrizio walked to load the bases, Bayo reached on a fielder's choice that scored Reinert and moved Bobbin to third. Pronti followed with a double that scored Bobbin.
Wilkes broke the game open in the top of the third with four runs on four hits. Darren Kerdesky (Dallas, PA/Dallas) laced a one-out double down the left field line and came in to score one batter later on Jonah Harder's (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) single to right-center. Reinert followed and was hit by a pitch, and Bobbin walked to load the bases. Patrizio brought home Harder with a single up the middle, forcing Knights starter Jeremy Sabathne from the game. Bayo welcomed the new pitcher with a sacrifice fly scoring Reinert, followed by a Pronti single to center scoring Bobbin.
The Knights got on the board with an unearned run in the bottom of the fourth.
Two runs were tacked on in the top of the fifth on two hits and an Arcadia error. Bobbin led off with a walk and moved to second on a single to right from Patrizio. Bayo advanced the runners with a sacrifice bunt before Pronti reached on an error by the left fielder that scored Bobbin.
Brandon Reno (Hunlock Creek, PA/Northwest Area) followed with a double to left center scoring Pronti and Patrizio.
Wilkes finished the scoring in the top of the sixth with two runs on three hits. Harder led off with an infield single and moved to second on a wild pitch. Bobbin moved Harder to third with a single and moved up a base on the throw from the left fielder. Patrizio reached first after striking out on a wild pitch that scored Harder and moved Bobbin to third. Bayo singled to left bringing home Bobbin.
JT Hibschman (Millville, NJ/Millville) was spectacular in his first start of the season, allowing three hits and just one unearned run as he went the distance with one walk and three strikeouts.
Pronti led the way at the plate, finishing game one 2-for-5 with four RBI's and one run scored. Bayo was 2-for-3 with three RBI's while Patrizio, Kerdesky, Harder, and Bobbin (four runs scored) added two hits each.
Game two was all Knights, as Arcadia scored in the third, fifth, sixth, and eighth en route to the 12-0 win. Wilkes was able to get a runner in scoring position in the first, fourth, fifth, and ninth but was unable to push a run across.
Jack Gordon (Syracuse, NY/West Genesee) fell to 0-1 on the mound, allowing five runs (four earned) on four hits over 4.0 innings with three walks and two strikeouts.
Bayo led the Colonels at the plate in game two, finishing 2-for-3 while Pronti, Nick Malatesta (Bloomsburg, PA/Bloomsburg), and Jason Spezzaferra (Maywood, NJ/Hackensack) got one knock apiece.
Wilkes and Arcadia return to the field tomorrow for a MAC Freedom doubleheader at Bruggeworth Field starting at 12:00 p.m.
