FORT PIERCE, Fla. – The Wilkes University baseball team picked up a thrilling 6-4 victory over Lebanon Valley College Tuesday afternoon at the Lawnwood Baseball Complex, due in large part to an explosive four-run inning in the sixth.
 
With their second win of the day, the Colonels improved to 6-1 overall and 3-1 during their time in Florida. The Flying Dutchman suffered their third loss of the season, falling to 3-3.
 
Matt Show led off the game in the first and reached first after being hit by a pitch. One batter later, Mike Show (Clarks Summit, PA/Abington Heights) moved him to second after singling. The Show brothers both advanced a base when Chase Vrabel (Gibsonia, PA/Pine Richland) rocketed a ball to the first baseman, however a flyout quelled the threat.
 
Wilton Abreu (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic/Liceo Americo Pérez Tolentino) got the nod from Wilkes skipper Mike Guy and pitched a scoreless first inning, striking out one batter and getting two more to ground into fielder's choices.
 
Abreu continued to deal in the second, striking out the first batter of the inning. The righty pitched his way to two more groundouts to end the inning with the game still in search of its first run.
 
In the top of the third, the Colonel's shortstop Ma. Show doubled and moved to third on a wild pitch, putting the team in prime position to get on the board. The Flying Dutchmen got out of the jam with a strikeout and flyout to right field, leaving Show stranded at third.
 
Abreu worked a quick three-up, three-down third inning on eight pitches by way of a groundout, pop fly to Jacob Cambria (Elysburg, PA/Southern Columbia) at second base and flyout to Evan Melberger (West Pittston, PA/Wyoming Area) in right.
 
Lebanon Valley took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth after a double to right center drove in a runner on third base.
 
The Flying Dutchmen added to their lead in the fifth when a misfire to first on a ground ball  rolled towards the infield warning track, allowing two runs to score. Despite the error, the Wilkes infielders quickly relayed the ball to catcher Zack Luksic (Shavertown, PA/Dallas), who gunned down the batter who was attempting to advance to third on the play. Abreu avoided further damage and escaped the inning on a foul ball that was caught by first baseman Chase Vrabel (Gibsonia, PA/Pine Richland).
 
Down 3-0, the Colonels bats began to heat up in the top of the sixth. Jimmy Brazofsky (Park Ridge, NJ/Park Ridge), who reached on a fielder's choice, advanced to second when Hunter Lawall (West Wyoming, PA/Wyoming Area) took three consecutive balls to earn a walk. Next in the order, Luksic singled to advance the baserunners and load the bases for Cambria. The second baseman hit a towering shot that sailed over the heads of the outfielders, driving in Brazofsky and Lawall and cutting the deficit to one run. A throwing error by the Lebanon Valley shortstop allowed Cambria and Luksic to cross the plate, turning the score in favor of Wilkes 4-3.
 
Ethan Jezewski (Millerstown, PA/Greenwood) relieved Abreu in the bottom of the sixth. After giving up two singles, the right hander got the next two batters to ground into a fielder's choice and fly out to center field. Mi. Show then came in to close out the inning with another flyout, keeping the one-run lead intact.
 
Mi. Show returned to the mound in the seventh and retired three-straight batters after a hit-by-pitch and single started the inning.
 
Melberger and Ma. Show walked on consecutive plate appearances, putting two ducks on the pond for third baseman Luke Spencer (Lehman, PA/Lake Lehman). Spencer connected on a 1-0 pitch and roped it past the Flying Dutchmen defense to score both baserunners and extend the lead to 6-3.
 
Mi. Show found himself in a bit of a bind in the eighth inning with the bases loaded and one out. The junior right hander battled through a lengthy seven-pitch at-bat that ended in a swing and a miss. He got the next batter to pop up to the shortstop, preserving the three-run advantage.
 
Lebanon Valley got one runner around the bases in the ninth, however Mi. Show withstood the offensive pressure and secured the 6-4 win with a flyout to right field.
 
Wilton Abreu (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic/Liceo Americo Pérez Tolentino) (3-0) got the decision after facing 20 batters through 5.0 innings, collecting eight groundouts and three flyouts. Mi. Show picked up his second save of the season, striking out three and getting seven more batters to fly out. Spencer led the way offensively with his massive 2 RBI triple while Cambria knocked in another two runs on his double.
Tony Bennage (1-2) took the loss after allowing two earned runs. Ryan Murphy and Justin Ranker both recorded two hits and one RBI for the Flying Dutchmen.
 
Wilkes concludes their time in Fort Pierce on Thursday, March 7 when they take on Delaware Valley University at the Lawnwood Baseball Complex. First pitch against the Aggies is slated for 10:00 a.m.