FORT PIERCE, Fla. – The Wilkes University Baseball team fell to Penn State Behrend 12-0 in the first game of their doubleheader Sunday afternoon at the Lawnwood Baseball Complex. After going up 3-0 in the second game, both coaches agreed to postpone the remainder of the second game due to unplayable field conditions caused by heavy rain.
 
The Colonels suffered their first loss of the 2024 season, dropping to 4-1 overall. The Lions won their second contest in a row, advancing to 2-0 on the season.
 
Hunter Lawall (West Wyoming, PA/Wyoming Area) got the nod for Wilkes in game one and recorded the first out of the ballgame, catching a popup in foul territory. He thwarted the next two Lions via a flyout to right and a strikeout.
 
Lawall sent the first two batters of the second inning back to the dugout before getting some help from his catcher Zack Luksic (Shavertown, PA/Dallas) to retire the side. After singling to right field, the third Lion batter attempted to advance to second base as the ball found its way back to home plate. Luksic threw out the runner to complete the one-two-three inning.
 
The bottom half of the second started off promising for the Colonels as Chase Vrabel (Gibsonia, PA/Pine Richland) and Luke Spencer (Lehman, PA/Lake Lehman) worked back-to-back walks. A fielder's choice to third, foulout and groundout ended the inning with the game still locked in a scoreless tie.
 
Penn State Behrend opened the scoring in the third frame with a double down the left field line that drove in two runs. Two more runners crossed the plate due to a single to left field, however the runner tried advancing to second on a throw to home from left fielder Nathan Loch (Effort, PA/Pleasant Valley). Loch's throw reached home with plenty of time for Luksic to fire across the diamond to second baseman Jacob Cambria (Elysburg, PA/Southern Columbia), who recorded the putout to end the inning. The four-run burst by the Lions gave the visitors a 4-0 lead.
 
Wilkes put runners on the corners in the bottom of the inning, however a groundout ended the threat.
 
The Lions added three insurance runs in the top of the fourth to jump out to a 7-0 lead. After a brief rain delay midway through the fifth inning, they drove in one run to build the lead to eight.
 
First year Caleb Butczynski (Nanticoke, PA/Greater Nanticoke Area) made his first collegiate appearance in the sixth inning, coming on in relief of Ryan Cosby (Buford, GA/Mountain View (GA)). The lefty retired the side by way of a groundout, flyout and strikeout swinging.
 
A bases-clearing triple in the top of the seventh brought Penn State Behrend's run total to 11; the Lions would add one more and retire the Colonels in order to take the first game of the day by a score of 12-0.
 
Lawall (1-1) took the loss after giving up four runs on 61 pitches. Loch recorded the lone hit for Wilkes in the contest while Vrabel, Spencer and Luksic all worked walks.
 
Jeff Zick (2-0) picked up the win for Penn State Behrend after posting 4.1 scoreless innings on the mound including five strikeouts. Thomas Nicely and David Gibson both collected two hits as Anthony Slate drove in three runners on his triple.
 
Game two started with a scoreless first inning as rain showers continued to pop up intermittently. Wilkes began to build momentum in the top of the second, starting with a Vrabel hit-by-pitch. The Lions' catcher attempted to pick Vrabel off at first but fired the ball into right field, allowing the first baseman to advance to second. Jimmy Brazofsky (Park Ridge, NJ/Park Ridge) and Loch walked on back-to-back plate appearances, loading the bases for Max Alessi (Wallenpaupack, PA/Wallenpaupack). The catcher connected on a pitch and took it to right center, driving in Vrabel from third. Up next was Connor Morgan (Lehman, PA/Lake Lehman), who laid down a well-placed bunt to score Brazofsky and increase the lead to 2-0.

As the Colonels returned to the top of the order, Matthew Show (Clarks Summit, PA/Abington Heights) dropped another bunt midway between the pitcher and catcher. Penn State Behrend's pitcher charged towards the ball and attempted to glove it back to the catcher to get the force, however he bobbled the ball. Loch beat out the play at the plate to score Wilkes' third run of the inning.
 
From there, the rain picked up to the point where the umpire sent both teams back to their respective dugouts. After a brief waiting period, both coaches discussed with the officials and elected to suspend the game in the top of the second inning with the bases loaded and one out. The game will pick up at that spot at a date and time to be determined.
 
The Colonels continue their spring break trip on Tuesday, March 5 when they take on Lebanon Valley College down in Fort Pierce. First pitch against the Flying Dutchmen is scheduled for 11:00 a.m.