EDWARDSVILLE – The Wilkes University baseball team used a Zack Luksic (Shavertown, PA/Dallas) walk off hit in game one and held off a Fairleigh Dickinson University – Florham Campus rally in game two to sweep a Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at Bruggeworth Field. Wilkes won game one 4-3 and game two 7-6.

With the sweep, Wilkes is now 2-7 in the MAC Freedom and 13-8 overall. FDU-Florham dropped to 6-3 in the league and 15-7 overall with the pair of losses after defeating the Colonels 6-5 on Friday.

Mark Geist put the Devils ahead with a three-run double in the top of the fourth inning of game one. Wilkes answered back in the bottom of the frame with two runs. Luksic tripled over the center fielder's head to lead off the inning and then would score on an AJ Brosious (Laurys Station, PA/Allentown Central Catholic) sacrifice fly. Peyton Schuck (Penn Yan, NY/Penn Yan Academy) then singled and moved over to third on a single by Connor Morgan (Dallas, PA/Lake Lehman). Michael Patrizio (Belle Mead, NJ/Montgomery) then brought in Schuck with another sacrifice fly to make the score 3-2.

Brosious led off the sixth with a single. Pinch runner Mike Show (Clarks Summit, PA/Abington Heights) would then advance to second on a sacrifice bunt by Schuck. Patrizio then knocked a two-out RBI double to left center to tie the game as Show scored.

With one out in the bottom of the seventh Brandon Reno (Hunlock Creek, PA/Northwest Area) singled to right field. Stone Wormuth (Carbondale, PA/Carbondale) worked a walk to move Reno into scoring position and set up the heroics for Luksic. He knocked a single to left field to bring in Reno and give the Colonels their first MAC Freedom win of the season by a 4-3 score.

Luksic went 3-for-4 while Patrizio and Reno were 2-for-3 in game one.

Sawyer Kemp (Nescopeck, PA/Berwick) (1-0) earned the win as he pitched a scoreless top of the seventh for the Colonels with two strikeouts and a walk. Tony Molitoris (Hanover Twp., PA/Holy Redeemer) took the no decision as he pitched the first six innings, allowing three runs on six hits with four walks and four strikeouts.

FDU-Florham scored two runs in the top of the first inning of game two on two hits and a walk.

Wilkes answered back with a run of its own in the bottom of the first. Nick Pronti (Wood-Ridge, NJ/Wood-Ridge) had a two-out walk and then scored from first on a double down the left field line by Reno to make it 2-1.

Matt Nodoro made it 3-1 with a home run to lead off the second.

In the top of the fourth Reno started a Wilkes rally with a single through the left side. Luksic then doubled over the right fielder's head to move Reno to third. Schuck then hit a two-run single to left center to bring in Reno and Luksic. Jimmy Brazofsky (Park Ridge, NJ/Park Ridge) would then score on a Chase Vrabel (Gibsonia, PA/Pine Richland) to center after he reached on a fielder's choice and went to second on a wild pitch as the Colonels went ahead 4-3.

The Colonels built their lead to 7-3 in the fifth with three runs on four hits, all with two outs. Reno singled through the right side and then ended up on third on a fly by Luksic that landed in shallow right field. Max Alessi (Wallenpaupack, PA/Wallenpaupack) then doubled to left to bring in Reno and move Luksic to third. Schuck then knocked a two-run single up the middle to bring in both Luksic and Alessi.

Tommy Moore hit a three-run home run with two outs in the top of the seventh inning to draw the Devils within one at 7-6. Kemp then entered and worked a three-pitch strikeout to earn his second save of the season and preserve the doubleheader sweep for the Colonels.

Gage Coudriet (Philipsburg, PA/Philipsburg-Osceola) (3-0) earned the win as he started and went four innings, allowing three runs on five hits with two walks and a strikeout. Todd Kolbicka (Hanover, PA/Hanover) then pitched 2.2 innings, allowing three runs on two hits and two walks with a strikeout.

Reno was 3-for-3 while Schuck was 2-for-3 with four RBI's. Luksic and Vrabel were each 2-for-3 as well in game two.

Wilkes returns to action on Tuesday for a non-conference doubleheader at Bruggeworth Field against Wilson College with first pitch of game one starting at 1:00 p.m.