DOYLESTOWN, Pa. – The Wilkes University baseball team began the final weekend of the regular season in explosive fashion, defeating Delaware Valley University 9-0 in game one before taking game two 18-3 in Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) action on Friday afternoon.
 
The Colonels improved to 14-12 overall and in conference after the two victories.
 
In game one, Wilkes started the scoring in the top of the third when Jonah Harder (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) led off with a single and moved to second on a bunt single from Michael Patrizio (Belle Mead, NJ/Montgomery). Both runners advanced on Dominick Bayo's (Swoyersville, PA/Wyoming Valley West) sacrifice bunt with Harder coming in to score on a sacrifice fly from Nick Pronti (Wood-Ridge, NJ/Wood-Ridge). Darren Kerdesky (Dallas, PA/Dallas) followed with a single to center bringing home Patrizio. After a single from Nick Malatesta (Bloomsburg, PA/Bloomsburg) moved Kerdesky to third, Brandon Reno (Hunlock Creek, PA/Northwest Area) was hit by a pitch to load the bases. All runners moved up on a balk that scored Kerdesky, giving the Colonels a 3-0 lead after three innings.
 
Wilkes increased its lead in top of the fourth when Patrizio doubled to score Harder. Bayo followed with a fly out that advanced Patrizio to third, who came on to score on a single to left from Pronti.
 
The Colonels finished the scoring in the top of the sixth with four runs. Patrizio led off with a walk, stole second, moved to third on a wild pitch, and scored on a Bayo single to left. Pronti followed with a double to the gap in left-center scoring Bayo, and Kerdesky launched a two-run homer to right scoring Pronti, the first of his collegiate career.
 
JT Hibschman (Millville, NJ/Millville) improved to 3-1 with a complete game effort, allowing two hits with four walks and five strikeouts.
 
Patrizio, Pronti, Kerdesky, and Matt Reinert (Telford, PA/Souderton) all finished with two hits in the initial contest.
 
In game two, the Colonel bats picked up where they left off in game one as Wilkes posted 16 hits and tied a season-high 18 runs in the night cap.
 
Wilkes opened a 5-0 lead after its first at-bats plating the five runs on two hits. Three straight walks loaded the bases before  Malatesta drew a fourth free pass to plate the first run of the game. Reno singled to right field scoring two more before Reinert tripled to right center scoring the final two runs of the frame.
 
In the bottom of the fourth, the Colonels added five more runs thanks to two more hits and two Aggie errors. Patrizio walked then stole second and third before coming in to score on an error by the left fielder on Pronti's at-bat. Malatesta added his second RBI of the game singling home Pronti three batters later as Kerdesky also scored on the play due to an error by the centerfielder. Reno was hit by a pitch to load the bases before a wild pitch scored the ninth Colonel run of the game. Reinert finished off the scoring in the inning with a sacrifice fly to right field scoring Malatesta as Wilkes led 10-0.
 
Delaware Valley pushed two runs across in the bottom of the fourth using four hits including an RBI single and sacrifice fly to plate the runs as Wilkes continued to lead 10-2.
 
Kerdesky hit his second home run of the season, a solo shot, in the top of the fifth to extend the advantage to 11-2.
 
Wilkes plated three more runs in the top of the seventh highlighted by Peyton Schuck's (Penn Yan, NY/Penn Yan Academy) triple to right field scoring two. An error by the short stop scored an unearned run earlier in the inning.
 
Loch Williams (Elkton, MD/Tome) pinch hit in the eighth and added an RBI single to right field scoring Louie Stefanelli (Taylor, PA/Riverside) who reached on a fielder's choice earlier in the inning. It was the first-year's first career hit and RBI.
 
After Delaware Valley scored its final run of the game in the bottom of the eighth, Wilkes closed its scoring tear in the top of the ninth with three more. RBI singles from Ruben Ortiz Montemayor (Veraguas, Panama/Iclave) and Jack Hines (Hawthorne, NJ/Hawthorne) scored two of the three with the third coming on a double play groundout. It was the first career hit and RBI for Ortiz Montemayor.
 
Gage Coudriet (Philipsburg, PA/Philipsburg-Osceola) was excellent on the mound for Wilkes going seven innings allowing two runs on eight hits while striking out three. Ryan Sanderson (West Caldwell, NJ/James Caldwell) pitched the final two innings allowing one run on one hit with one strike out.
 
Eleven different Colonels registered hits in game two led by Hines' 3-for-3 day including one RBI.
 
The two teams complete the season series tomorrow (Saturday) with a double header starting at 12:00 p.m. at Bruggeworth Field, preceeded by a Senior Day ceremony.