EDWARDSVILLE – The Wilkes University baseball team opened the 2024 season in dramatic fashion on Sunday at Bruggeworth Field, sweeping a doubleheader against non-conference opponent SUNY Cobleskill and earning first-year head coach Mike Guy his first collegiate coaching victories. The Colonels shut out the Fighting Tigers in game one by a 4-0 score and used a seven-run seventh inning, including a walk-off two-run home run by Devin Markert (Pittston, PA/Pittston Area), in game two to win 9-7.

With the wins Wilkes started the 2024 campaign with a 2-0 record. SUNY Cobleskill dropped to 0-2.

Game one, which was scheduled for nine innings, was dominated by Colonels pitching as starter Hunter Lawall (West Wyoming, PA/Wyoming Area) went six scoreless innings.

The Colonels got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first as Matthew Show (Clarks Summit, PA/Abington Heights) singled to left to lead off the game for his first collegiate hit. He moved to second when Todd Kolbicka (Hanover Twp., PA/Hanover) walked. With two outs, Mike Show (Clarks Summit, PA/Abington Heights) singled to bring in his brother for the 1-0 lead.

Wilkes added a run in the sixth when Jimmy Brazofsky (Park Ridge, NJ/Park Ridge) doubled to left center to bring in Luke Spencer (Lehman, PA/Lake Lehman) who had reached on his first hit in a Colonels uniform.

Brazofsky tripled in the bottom of the eighth to make it 3-0 as Mi. Show scored following a lead off single. Later in the inning after Max Alessi (Wallenpaupack, PA/Wallenpaupack) walked, Alessi and Brazofsky had a double steal with Brazofsky scoring to make it 4-0.

Lawall (1-0) went 6.0 innings, allowing just three hits with no walks and four strikeouts. Zachary Lloyd (Scranton, PA/West Scranton) made his collegiate pitching debut as he pitched the seventh and eighth innings for 2.0 innings of work. He allowed just one hit and struck out one. Mi. Show earned the save in the ninth as he allowed two hits but stuck out the final batter to preserve the shutout.

Wyatt Palmer (0-1) took the loss as he went 4.0 innings allowing one run on three hits with one walk and one strikeout in the start.

Brazofsky was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and Mi. Show was 2-for-4 with one RBI to lead the way at the plate in game one.

Game two was scheduled for seven innings and went scoreless into the fifth inning. SUNY Cobleskill grabbed its first run of the season in the top of the fifth on a bases loaded walk to go ahead 1-0.

The Fighting Tigers put up six runs in the top of the sixth inning to make it 7-0. They used three hits, two errors, and two walks to put up the six runs.

Wilkes gained two runs back in the bottom of the sixth as Kolbicka walked and then scored on a Mi. Show triple. Mi. Show then scored on an RBI groundout by Spencer to make it 7-2.

That is the way Wilkes entered the bottom of the seventh for its final three outs. Nathan Loch (Effort, PA/Pleasant Valley) collected his first collegiate hit to open the inning as he was a pinch hitter. Evan Melberger (West Pittston, PA/Wyoming Area) then walked as a pinch hitter. After a strikeout, pinch hitter Zack Luksic (Shavertown, PA/Dallas) was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Down to the final out after another strikeout, the Colonels came up big in the clutch. Mi. Show singled to bring in Loch. Spencer then picked up an RBI when he was hit by a pitch that allowed Melberger to score. Luksic then scored on a balk as the score stood at 7-5 with runners at second and third. Brazofsky then tripled to bring in Mi. Show and Spencer to tie the game at 7-7.

Following a pitching change, Markert provided the exclamation point as he hit a walk off home run as Wilkes completed the comeback in breathtaking fashion. It was the second career home run for Markert.

Tegan Shortlidge (Nescopeck, PA/Berwick) took a no decision in a strong start for Wilkes. He pitched 5.0 innings allowing one run (zero earned) on four hits. He walked four and struck out one. Ryan Sanderson (West Caldwell, NJ/James Caldwell) got the Colonels out of the sixth inning by recording the final out. Wilton Abreu (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic/Liceo Americo Pérez Tolentino) (1-0) earned the win in his collegiate debut as he worked a scoreless top of the seventh.

Andrew Jarkow received a no decision as he started to SUNY Cobleskill. He went 5.0 scoreless innings allowing three hits with one walk and two strikeouts. Adam Champlin (0-1) took the loss as he pitched 0.2 innings in the bottom of the seventh allowing six runs on three hits with one walk and two strikeouts. Evan Balbera allowed the home run to Markert to end the game.

At the plate Mi. Show went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Spencer, Brazofsky, and Markert all had two RBIs.

Sam Gutierrez had four RBIs for SUNY Cobleskill.

Wilkes returns to action Tuesday to host cross-town rival King's College at Bruggeworth Field. The first pitch of the game moved up a day due to a threatening forecast is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.