EDWARDSVILLE – The Wilkes University baseball team dropped a non-conference game Tuesday afternoon at Bruggeworth Field by a 6-3 score to visiting William Paterson University.

With the loss Wilkes dropped its record to 13-17 overall. William Paterson improved to 15-9.

The Pioneers scored two runs in the top of the first as they used a hit by pitch and two doubles to take the early lead.

The Colonels answered with a run in the bottom of the third inning to make it 2-1. Jake Cambria (Elysburg, PA/Southern Columbia) led off with a single to shortstop and advanced along to second when the throw from the infielder went wild past first base. Jason Spezzaferra (Maywood, NJ/Hackensack) then grounded out to second to move Cambria to third. Todd Kolbicka (Hanover Twp., PA/Hanover) was able to bring Cambria in with a sacrifice fly to right field.

Mike Show (Clarks Summit, PA/Abington Heights) led off the bottom of the fourth with a walk and then stole second. He moved to third on a groundout to first by AJ Brosious (Laurys Station, PA/Allentown Central Catholic) and scored on a sacrifice fly to center field by Max Alessi (Wallenpaupack, PA/Wallenpaupack) to tie the game at 2-2.

William Paterson used four singles and a balk to score three runs in the top of the fifth to go back ahead 5-2. In the eighth the Pioneers added one run on a walk, stolen base, sacrifice bunt, and single.

Wilkes threatened in the bottom of the ninth, loading the bases as Show singled to third base and Brosious reached on a hard hit line drive that got into left center. Chase Vrabel (Gibsonia, PA/Pine Richland) was then hit by a pitch. After a pitching change pinch hitter Zack Luksic (Shavertown, PA/Dallas) was hit by a pitch to force in Show to make it 6-3. The Pioneers then were able to end the game with a double play on a ground ball to shortstop.

Ryan Sanderson (West Caldwell, NJ/James Caldwell) (1-1) took the loss as he went 4.1 innings allowing five runs on eight hits and two walks with one strikeout as he started on the hill for the Colonels. Griffin Coyne (Bethlehem, PA/Freedom) went 1.2 innings without allowing a run including getting out of a bases loaded one out jam in the sixth with a double play grounder back to him. He allowed one hit with one strikeout. Sawyer Kemp (Nescopeck, PA/Berwick) went 2.0 innings allowing one run on one hit with one walk and one strikeout. Tyler Hoedl (Wilkes-Barre, PA/Holy Redeemer) went 1.0 innings allowing just one hit.

Matt Lemieux (3-0) earned the win as he went 7.0 innings allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits with four walks and one strikeout in his start. Matt Lawler worked a scoreless eighth inning. Pat Pantoliano went 0.1 innings allowing one run to his name as he left with the bases loaded. Dan Castaneda entered with the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the ninth and after a hit by pitch got the game-ending double play ball for his second save of the year.

Show went 2-for-2 with two walks and two runs for Wilkes. Cambria was 2-for-3 with a run. Kolbicka, Alessi and Luksic had one RBI.

Wilkes will open its Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom series with Stevens Institute of Technology on Friday in Hoboken, N.J. with first pitch of the single nine-inning game at 3:00 p.m.