EDWARDSVILLE – The Wilkes University baseball team stayed unbeaten at home this season after defeating Elmira College 13-9 in a non-conference game Wednesday at Bruggeworth Field.

Wilkes, who is receiving votes in the latest D3baseball.com/NCBWA Top 25 poll, improved to 9-1 overall and 5-0 at home this season. Elmira dropped to 4-6 overall.

The Soaring Eagles scored three runs in the top of the first inning as the visitors used a walk, hit batter, walk and bloop single to right field to score the first run. From there two more walks brought in the next two runs as the Colonels starter exited after the first of those free passes.

Wilkes responded in the bottom of the first. Following a leadoff double by Nathan Loch (Effort, PA/Pleasant Valley) in which he was out trying to stretch it into a triple, the Colonels saw the next eight batters each safely beginning with a single by Luke Spencer (Lehman, PA/Lake Lehman). Mike Show (Clarks Summit, PA/Abington Heights) was then hit by a pitch and Chase Vrabel (Gibsonia, PA/Pine Richland) singled to load the bases. Spencer then scored on a passed ball. Jimmy Brazofsky (Park Ridge, NJ/Park Ridge) then walked to load the bases again. Zack Luksic (Shavertown, PA/Dallas) delivered a two-run single into center field as Mi. Show and Vrabel scored to tie the game at 3-3. Todd Kolbicka (Hanover Twp., PA/Hanover) was then hit by a pitch which loaded the bases. Max Alessi (Wallenpaupack, PA/Wallenpaupack) was then hit by a pitch to pick up an RBI as Brazofsky scored which forced the Elmira starter out of the game. Matthew Show (Clarks Summit, PA/Abington Heights) then singled to bring in Luksic and Loch followed with a sacrifice fly to deep left field to make the score 6-3. In all the Colonels sent 12 batters to the plate in the inning.

In the bottom of the third inning Spencer worked a one-out walk and then stole second with two outs. Vrabel brought him in with a single down the right field line to make it 7-3.

Elmira used three walks and a two-out bases clearing double to make the game 7-6 in the top of the fourth.

Wilkes got two runs back in the bottom of the fourth as Luksic reached on a leadoff infield single. He stole second and with two outs Ma. Show singled him home. After Ma. Show stole second, he scored on an error when Loch lined one to the centerfielder that he was unable to handle as the lead went to 9-6.

The Soaring Eagles scored one run in the top of the fifth using two hit by pitches and two walks to make it 9-7.

Vrabel led off the bottom of the fifth with a double and scored when Brazofsky sacrificed him to third with a bunt but the throw to first from the third baseman went wild allowing Brazofsky to reach safely and Vrabel to score the Colonels 10th run. Brazofsky then stole second and third before a walk by Kolbicka. Alessi brought in Brazofsky with a sacrifice fly to make the score 11-7.

Elmira scored two runs in the top of the eighth using a double, single, hit by pitch, and a single to make it 11-9. Alessi came up with a big play behind the plate to throw out a runner at second base following a wild pitch to end the threat.

Alessi singled to start the bottom of the eighth and then advanced to third when Ma. Show sacrificed him to second but an error with a dropped ball by the first baseman allowed Ma. Show to reach and Alessi to advance. Loch singled on a hard-hit line drive to the shortstop that brought Alessi in. Mi. Show then brought in Evan Melberger (West Pittston, PA/Wyoming Area), who pinch ran for Ma. Show, with an RBI groundout to make the score 13-9.

Jacob Cambria (Elysburg, PA/Southern Columbia) worked a one-two-three ninth inning to close out the win for Wilkes.

Braydon Wuestner (Gales Ferry, CT/Ledyard) started on the mound for the Colonels but lasted just 0.1 innings as he allowed three runs on one hit with three walks and a hit batter with one strikeout. Ryan Sanderson (West Caldwell, NJ/James Caldwell) (2-0) came in to settle things down on the Wilkes defensive side as he pitched 2.2 innings without allowing a run credited to him. He struck out four while only allowing one walk and no hits. Caleb Butczynski (Nanticoke, PA/Greater Nanticoke Area) pitched 0.2 innings next allowing three runs on three walks and one hit. Wilton Abreu (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic/Liceo Americo Pérez Tolentino) pitched 1.1 innings allowing one run on two walks and two hit batters with one strikeout. Ethan Jezewski (Millerstown, PA/Greenwood) went 2.1 innings allowing two runs on five hits with two hit batters and one strikeout. Daniel Storm (Wilmington, DE/Archmere Academy) pitched 0.2 innings with one strikeout to get the Colonels out of the eighth inning jam. Cambria finished with 1.0 innings and one strikeout.

Nicholas Miller (0-3) started for Elmira and took the loss as he went 0.1 innings allowing six runs on four hits with one walk and three hit batters. Kevin McGovern pitched the next 1.2 innings for the Soaring Eagles as he did not allow a run on one hit, two walks, and two hit batters along with one strikeout. Matthew Schultz pitched 1.0 innings allowing one on one hit with one walk and one strikeout. Justin Hyde pitched 0.2 innings allowing two runs (one earned) on two hits and one walk. Kyle Tubbs pitched 0.1 innings to get the Soaring Eagles out of the fourth inning. Jack Finnerty finished the game pitching 4.0 innings and allowing four runs (zero earned) on four hits with one walk and four strikeouts.

Loch was 3-for-5 with two RBIs, Vrabel was 3-for-6 with one RBI and two runs, Luksic was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs, and Ma. Show was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and one run to lead the Wilkes offense.

The Colonels aggressive baserunning landing them 10 total stolen bases.

Wilkes plays its inaugural Landmark Conference series this weekend as the Colonels host Drew University with a doubleheader on Saturday and a single game on Sunday at Bruggeworth Field.