EDWARDSVILLE – The Wilkes University baseball team exploded for 14 hits to defeat Moravian University 12-2 in the first installment of their three-game series Friday afternoon at Bruggeworth Field.
 
The Colonels continued their hot start to the season, advancing to 12-2 overall and 2-1 in conference play. The Greyhounds fell to 7-8 on the season and leveled off their Landmark record at 1-1.
 
Zachary Lloyd (Scranton, PA/West Scranton) got the start on the bump for Wilkes and quickly worked a one-two-three first inning, setting the stage for a major bottom half of the first frame.
 
Luke Spencer (Lehman, PA/Lake Lehman) worked a one-out walk and took off for second on the first pitch of the next at-bat. After Mike Show (Clarks Summit, PA/Abington Heights) reached on a fielding error, Spencer snagged his second bag of the night to put runners on the corners for Chase Vrabel (Gibsonia, PA/Pine Richland). Vrabel singled to first base, driving in Spencer and moving Mi. Show to second base. Zack Luksic (Shavertown, PA/Dallas) stepped up to the plate next and singled to left center, allowing Mi. Show to round the bases which made the score 2-0 in favor of the Colonels. Jimmy Brazofsky (Park Ridge, NJ/Park Ridge) followed with the third consecutive single of the inning to load the bases for Max Alessi (Wallenpaupack, PA/Wallenpaupack), who hit a sac fly to center field that was deep enough for Vrabel to tag up from third. A double-steal of second base and home by Brazofsky and Vrabel concluded the scoring in an eventful first inning, giving Wilkes an early 4-0 lead.
 
After allowing a leadoff double in the second inning, Lloyd recovered with a fly-out to left, a pop-up to first and fanned another batter to end Moravian's threat and keep the Greyhounds off the board. It was more of the same in the top of the third, as the first year worked two groundouts and returned to the dugout after a line drive hit a runner at first for the third out of the inning.
 
Moravian scored their first run of the game in the top of the fourth when a batter rocketed a ball that struck Lloyd, allowing a runner on third to score. Lloyd was able to remain in the game and struck out the next batter he faced to escape without further damage. Through three and a half innings, Wilkes maintained a 4-1 lead.
 
The Colonels wasted no time negating the Greyhounds' run as Matthew Show (Clarks Summit, PA/Abington Heights) connected with a pitch and doubled to right center. Just four pitches later, Nathan Loch (Effort, PA/Pleasant Valley) ripped another double to drive in Ma. Show and reinstate the home team's four-run advantage. On the next at-bat, Spencer delivered a third-straight double to deep left that knocked in Loch and increased the lead to 6-1. Mi. Show kept the hit train rolling with a single that scored Spencer from second base, bringing the lead to 7-1. Ultimately, the Blue and Gold scored three runs on four hits in the inning to keep their momentum going.
 
Lloyd returned to the mound for his fifth inning of work and picked up right where he left off by getting the first batter to pop-out. Left fielder Jacob Cambria (Elysburg, PA/Southern Columbia) then came up with a massive diving catch to record the second out of the inning. A walk didn't seem to phase the right-hander, who got the next Greyhound to ground into a 6-4 fielder's choice to end the inning.
 
Brazofsky and Alessi picked up a pair of singles to lead off the bottom half of the fifth. A beautifully-placed bunt by Cambria loaded the bases for Ma. Show, who crushed his second double of the game to drive in two runs and open the floodgates for Wilkes. The extra base hits kept coming for the Colonels as a triple courtesy of Loch knocked in Cambria and built the lead up to 11-1. A Spencer single sent Loch home as the fifth run of the inning and brought the score to 12-1.
 
Colby Butczynski (Nanticoke, PA/Greater Nanticoke) made his first relief appearance of the season and pitched a scoreless top of the sixth by way of two groundouts and a punchout to strand two runners on base.
 
First year Ethan Jezewski (Millerstown, PA/Greenwood) took the mound for the seventh looking to secure the three final outs that would put the 10-run mercy rule into effect. Despite allowing one run, Jezewski stayed poised and was able to retire the Greyhounds and lock up the 12-2 win for Wilkes.
 
Lloyd picked up the win to improve to 3-1 on the campaign. Loch provided three clutch RBIs on two hits while Spencer drove in a pair of runs himself. Overall, the Colonels combined for 14 hits and committed no errors in the field.
 
Noah Ingalls was charged with the loss for Moravian, dropping his record to 1-2. Cole Cherkas and Jack Tone knocked in the Greyhounds' two runs of the afternoon.
 
The Colonels and Greyhounds will face off again on Sunday, March 24 for a Landmark Conference doubleheader with the first pitch of Game 1 slated for 12:00 p.m.