EDWARDSVILLE, PA – A cool sunny day greeted the Colonels baseball squad as they hosted Stevens Institute of Technology for a doubleheader matchup.  They played their Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom foe at Bruggeworth Field Friday afternoon.
 
Senior Tony Molitoris (Hanover Twp., PA/Holy Redeemer) pitched a complete game shutout in game one to give the Colonels (3-9) a 6-0 victory against the Ducks (10-4), before a late comeback effort fell short in an 8-5 loss in the afternoon tilt. 
 
The Colonels got two quick outs before an error put a Duck on first, but they caught the runner stealing to end the inning.  The Colonels got a runner on first and second with one out after a sacrifice bunt and a walk.  A groundout advanced the runners to second and third, and a single to the outfield by sophomore Darren Kerdesky (Dallas, PA/Dallas) brought home both runs for an early 2-0 Colonel lead. 
 
Molitoris continued to roll through the top of the second, while the Colonels got two runners on with a pair of walks in the bottom of the frame.   Senior Dominick Bayo (Swoyersville, PA/Wyoming Valley West) brought home both with a double out to deep right to give the Colonels a four-run edge and chase the Ducks' starting pitcher.  A trio of nice defensive plays from the Colonels put together a three-up three-down top of the third for the Navy and Gold.
 
Kerdesky put the Colonels in a threatening position in the bottom of the third with a bunt that trickled down the third base line putting runners on first and second with no outs.   Senior Jonah Harder (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) brought in a run with a single to deep right, with senior Bryan Nifenecker (Amityville, NY/St. Dominic) dropping a single into center field to give the Colonels a 6-0 lead heading into the fourth. 
 
The Ducks threatened with runners on first and second with no one out, but Molitoris forced a grounder into a double play followed up by a ball right into an infielder glove to end the threat.   The Colonels had runners on first and second with one out in the bottom of the fourth, but the Ducks pitched out of the threat.  Molitoris continued to throw well through the top of the fifth, and the Navy and Gold got runners on second and third with an out in the bottom of the inning.  The Ducks pitched their way out of the threat to keep the lead as is. 
 
A deep opening double put the Ducks in scoring position in the top of the sixth.  A walk put two on with no out, but a pair of pop outs followed by a beautiful sliding catch by senior Matt Reinert (Telford, PA/Souderton) near the center outfield fence kept the shutout going.   Molitoris completed the complete game shutout to take a victory in the seven-inning game.
 
Sophomore Jack Gordon (Syracuse, NY/West Genesee) took the mound for the Colonels in the second game of the doubleheader.   After the Ducks got their first runner on, the Colonels got a line drive out before forcing a grounder into a double play in the top of the first.   The bats remained quiet through the bottom half of the first as well in a three-batter inning. 
 
The Colonels caught a Duck stealing to keep things quiet in the top of the second.   In the bottom of the frame, a strikeout ended the threat after the Navy and Gold managed to get runners on first and second with two outs.  A pair of walks put a Ducks runner in scoring position with a lone out in the top of the third, but a pop out followed by a runner thrown out at third got Wilkes out of the jam.
 
The Colonels struck first in the fourth inning with a pair of Ducks errors assisting to get the Navy and Gold a 2-0 lead.   A wild pitch gave the Ducks a runner on second with a lone out in the fourth, and a home run tied the game up at two all.  Stevens took the lead with no outs after a couple of shots to the outfield to take a 3-2 advantage.  The Navy and Gold got a runner on second with no outs after a single and a steal following, but failed to bring him home.  The Ducks ended up with bases loaded and no outs in the top of the sixth, but only got a single run out of it.
 
The Colonels failed to bring in the tying runs in the bottom of the sixth, while the Ducks found themselves with bases loaded with a lone out once more in the top of the seventh.   The Ducks worked the bases to get four runs with two outs, the Colonels got out of the inning with a pop fly with senior Charles Giacometti Jr. (Dallas, PA/Dallas) stepping up to take the final out.

After a quiet 7th inning from the Wilkes bats, Giacometti helped keep the Colonels in the game with a three-up three-down inning in the top of the 8th.  Senior outfielder Jack Hines (Hawthorne, NJ/Hawthorne) grounded out to score a run in the bottom of the 8th, while senior Andrew Indzonka (New Windsor, NY/Our Lady of Lourdes) kept the comeback hopes alive with a scoreless top of the 8th, where he also threw a strikeout.
 
The Colonels mounted a comeback effort in the bottom of the ninth, with senior Nick Pronti (Wood-Ridge, NJ/Wood-Ridge) batting in a run, followed by senior Brandon Reno (Hunlock Creek, PA/Northwest Area) bringing in a run with bases loaded after being hit by a pitch.  The effort fell short, however, as the Navy and Gold struck out three times in three at-bats to split the games with Stevens.
 
Molitoris threw five strikeouts and allowed three hits in his complete game shutout to earn his second victory of the season in game one.  Bayo went 2-for-3 with two RBIs in the first game and 4-for-5 with a run in the second, while Kerdesky went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs as well in the first game.  Senior Michael Patrizio (Belle Mead, NJ/Montgomery) accounted for two of the Colonels six runs in the victory as well. 
 
The Colonels continue their 2021 season as they host FDU-Florham Friday for yet another doubleheader against a conference foe.  First pitch for the first game is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. at Bruggeworth Field.