CENTER VALLEY, PA – The Wilkes University baseball team closed its three-game Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) series with DeSales University by defeating the Bulldogs 5-4 at Weiland Park on Sunday.

Wilkes improved to 3-9 in the conference and 15-11 overall with the victory. DeSales dropped to 7-5 in the league and 13-10 overall.

Sean Granahan (Pottstown, PA/Wilson West Lawn) gave the Colonels a 2-0 lead with a home run to right in the top of the first. Michael Patrizio (Belle Mead, NJ/Montgomery) walked to lead off the inning and then stole second and third before coming in on Granahan's first home run with Wilkes.

Wilkes doubled its lead in the fourth. Peyton Schuck (Penn Yan, NY/Penn Yan Academy) walked then stole second. Max Alessi (Wallenpaupack, PA/Wallenpaupack) then reached on an error by the left fielder which allowed Schuck to move to third. Patrizio then knocked a two-run single up the middle as Schuck and Alessi scored to make it 4-0.

On the mound Gage Coudriet (Philipsburg, PA/Philipsburg-Osceola) was dealing as he sat down the DeSales lineup in order in the first, second, and fourth innings.

DeSales cut the lead to 4-1 in the fifth following a double, sacrifice bunt, and a sacrifice fly.

The Colonels manufactured a run in the top of the sixth following a leadoff single by AJ Brosious (Laurys Station, PA/Allentown Central Catholic). He then moved to second on a groundout by Schuck and to third on a wild pitch before scoring on an RBI groundout by Alessi to make it 5-1.

DeSales closed to within one run in the bottom of the eighth, scoring three runs on two hits and three walks while taking advantage of two wild pitches.

Sawyer Kemp (Nescopeck, PA/Berwick), who got the final out of the eighth via a strikeout looking, then retired the Bulldogs in order in the bottom of the ninth to preserve the one-run win. It was the third save of the season for Kemp.

Coudriet (4-0) earned yet another win for the Colonels as the senior went 7.2 innings, allowing four runs on four hits with three walks and a career high eight strikeouts.

Jared Drake (0-1) took the loss as he went six innings allowing five runs (four earned) on four hits and four walks with four strikeouts. JJ Paul pitched the final three innings for the Bulldogs without allowing a hit.

The Colonels return to action on Tuesday for a road non-conference game at William Paterson University at 4:00 p.m. in Wayne, N.J.