SCRANTON, Pa. – The Wilkes baseball team sparked a comeback at the University of Scranton in the fifth inning, but tough defense from both teams resulted in a close 5-4 loss at Volpe Field Tuesday afternoon in Landmark Conference action.

Wilkes falls to 19-8 overall and 10-6 in Landmark play, while Scranton improves to 19-7 on the year and 10-5 in conference play.

Scranton broke the game open in the second inning, scoring four runs on two infield singles to take the early lead. They added one more in the fourth inning on a sacrifice fly to right field, taking a 5-0 lead over the Colonels.

Wilkes' offense responded in resounding fashion in the top of the fifth, started by Luke Spencer's (Lehman, PA/Lake Lehman) RBI single through the right side to bring home Jacob Cambria (Elysburg, PA/Southern Columbia). In the next at-bat, Chase Vrabel (Gibsonia, PA/Pine Richland) cleared the bags with a towering shot to right field to make it a 5-4 game.

Unfortunately for the Colonels, both teams put together lights-out defense as the game went scoreless the rest of the way and the Royals took the win.

Colby Butczynski (Nanticoke, PA/Greater Nanticoke) (1-3) was given the loss, pitching 5.2 innings allowing five earned runs on four hits with three strikeouts. Mike Show (Clarks Summit, PA/Abington Heights) pitched 2.1 innings without allowing a single baserunner with four strikeouts of his own. At the plate, Spencer was the only player on either team to record a multi-hit game, going 2-for-4 with a triple and an RBI.

Thomas Plunkett (3-1) earned the win for Scranton pitching 5.1 innings allowing four earned runs on seven hits with five strikeouts. Jason Carpenter earned the save pitching 3.2 innings without allowing a single baserunner like Show, with five strikeouts.

The Colonels return to action Thursday, April 18, as they travel to take on Keystone College at 4:00 p.m.