EDWARDSVILLE – Chase Vrabel (Gibsonia, PA/Pine Richland) completed a seventh inning comeback with a two-run walk off single for the Wilkes University baseball team in game two of a non-conference doubleheader against Wilson College as the Colonels won 12-11 to earn a split at Bruggeworth Field Tuesday. Wilson took game one 12-0.

Wilkes is now 13-9 overall this season while Wilson stands at 16-7.

The Colonels rally in game two started in the sixth inning when Nick Pronti (Wood-Ridge, NJ/Wood-Ridge) knocked a two-run home run to left with two outs to make the score 11-8. Brandon Reno (Hunlock Creek, PA/Northwest Area) had singled with one out and Rocky DiBernardo (Gainesville, FL/Oak Hall School) pinch ran for him to score on the home run.

Wilkes completed the wild comeback in the seventh as pinch hitter AJ Brosious (Laurys Station, PA/Allentown Central Catholic) walked to lead off the inning. Following two fly outs the Colonels prospects were looking bleak but Dominick Bayo (Swoyersville, PA/Wyoming Valley West) would single through the left side and pinch hitter Zack Luksic (Shavertown, PA/Dallas) walked to load the bases. Mike Show (Clarks Summit, PA/Abington Heights) entered to pinch run for Luksic before Sean Granahan (Pottstown, PA/Wilson West Lawn) singled through the right side to move everyone ahead a base and make the score 11-9 with Brosious scoring. Loch Williams (Elkton, MD/Tome) would then pinch run for Granahan.

Bayo then scored on a wild pitch with Pronti at the plate, just beating the pitcher's tag as the catcher retrieved the ball from the backstop. Pronti then finished his at-bat with a walk to load the bases again. Following a pitching change by the Phoenix, pinch hitter Vrabel came through in the clutch. The first year knocked a solid hit up the middle sending Show and Williams racing home as the bench cleared in celebration.

The Colonels started the game strong with three runs in the first inning. Michael Patrizio (Belle Mead, NJ/Montgomery) walked and stole second and then scored on a Granahan RBI single to center. Pronti then doubled to left center to bring in Granahan from first. After Max Alessi (Wallenpaupack, PA/Wallenpaupack) was hit by a pitch, Peyton Schuck (Penn Yan, NY/Penn Yan Academy) singled through the left side of the infield to bring in Pronti and make the score 3-0 Colonels.

Wilson answered back with two runs in the top of the second, but Wilkes would add two back in the bottom of the inning. Jason Spezzaferra (Maywood, NJ/Hackensack) singled to center and stole second and then went to third on a Patrizio hit. He would score on a Bayo RBI-single to left as Patrizio went to third. He would then score on a sacrifice fly by Reno to make the score 5-2.

The Phoenix scored seven runs on three hits, one error and five walks during the top of the third inning to take a 9-5 lead.

Schuck doubled to left center to start the bottom of the third and scored on a Bayo single to center to make it 9-6.

Wilson responded again with a two-run home run in the fourth to go ahead 11-6, setting the stage for the Colonels late innings comeback.

Ryan Sanderson (West Caldwell, NJ/James Caldwell) (1-0) settled things down on the mound for Wilkes as he pitched the final three innings scoreless. He allowed only one hit and one walk with one strikeout. Jack Gordon (Syracuse, NY/West Genesee) started and pitched the first 2.1 innings and Tyler Hoedl (Wilkes-Barre, PA/Holy Redeemer) went 1.2 innings.

Spezzaferra was 3-for-4 and Bayo was 3-for-5 with two RBI's. Pronti went 2-for-4 with three RBI's and Granahan was 2-for-4 with two RBI's. Schuck went 2-for-4 as well with one RBI and Vrabel knocked in two runs in his only at-bat.

Wilson dominated game one, winning 12-0 as three pitchers combined to allow only three hits in the shutout. A seven-run sixth inning broke the game open for the Phoenix.

Wilkes returns to the field on Friday to start a Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom series with a single nine-inning game at DeSales University in Center Valley, Pa. at 3:30 p.m.