EDWARDSVILLE – The Wilkes University baseball team scored five runs in the ninth inning but fell just shy in its comeback attempt during a 10-9 Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) loss to visiting Arcadia University at Bruggeworth Field Friday.

Wilkes dropped to 0-4 in the conference and to 11-5 overall on the season with the loss while Arcadia, who is receiving votes in the latest national top 25 poll, improved to 4-0 in the MAC Freedom and to 15-3 overall.

The Knights started the game in a big way, with six runs in the top of the first inning. Arcadia was helped by two Wilkes errors to go along with three hits and a hit batter in the inning. Arcadia made it 7-0 in the third inning with one run on three hits and an error.

Brandon Reno (Hunlock Creek, PA/Northwest Area) collected the Colonels first hit of the game in the fifth inning but it was in the bottom of the sixth when Wilkes scored its first runs. Michael Patrizio (Belle Mead, NJ/Montgomery) reached on a one-out walk and then scored from first on a double by Dominick Bayo (Swoyersville, PA/Wyoming Valley West). Nick Pronti (Wood-Ridge, NJ/Wood-Ridge) followed with a run-scoring single to left center as Wilkes cut the lead to 7-2.

Arcadia would make it 8-2 with a sacrifice fly in the top of the seventh.

In the bottom of the eighth, Bayo led off with a single and moved ahead to third on a single by Pronti. AJ Brosious (Laurys Station, PA/Allentown Central Catholic) then singled to center to bring in Bayo. Reno then singled to left center to drive in Pronti but he was thrown out at second trying to stretch the play into a double for the inning's second out. A strikeout on the next batter ended the eighth with the score 8-4.

Arcadia added two runs in the top of the ninth to go ahead 10-4 on a run-scoring triple and a run-scoring single.

With the Knights starter Hunter Curley removed from the mound, the Colonels began a furious comeback in the bottom of the ninth with one out. Chase Vrabel (Gibsonia, PA/Pine Richland) singled to left and Patrizio followed with a walk. Bayo then singled to left to load the bases. Pronti then drove in Vrabel with an RBI hit to left to make it 10-5. Connor Morgan (Dallas, PA/Lake Lehman) then singled to right to bring home Patrizio. Owen Magolis then entered to replace Nadell Booker on the mound for the Knights but Peyton Schuck (Penn Yan, NY/Penn Yan Academy) kept the hits coming as he drove in Bayo and Pronti with a single to left center to make it 10-8. A Reno single loaded the bases again. Zack Luksic (Shavertown, PA/Dallas) then brought in Morgan and moved Schuck over to third with a sacrifice fly to right that made the score 10-9. Margolis was then able to nail down his third save of the season with a fly out to center to end the game.

Bayo (3-for-5) one RBI and three runs, Pronti (3-for-5) two RBI's and two runs, and Reno (3-for-4) one RBI and a hit by pitch led the way at the plate for the Colonels.

Tony Molitoris (Hanover Twp., PA/Holy Redeemer) (1-2) took the loss for Wilkes but settled into a nice start after the first inning. He went 7.0 innings allowing eight runs (four earned) on nine hits with two walks and a strikeout. Jack Gordon (Syracuse, NY/West Genesee) pitched the final 2.0 innings allowing two runs on three hits with two walks and a strikeout.

Curley (2-1) pitched 8.0 innings to earn the win for Arcadia. He allowed four runs on eight hits with two walks and nine strikeouts.

Wilkes continues its three-game MAC Freedom set with Arcadia on the road for a doubleheader starting at 12:00 p.m. tomorrow in Glenside, Pa.