MADISON, NJ – The Wilkes University baseball team used a four-run fifth inning to break open a tie game as the Colonels posted a 7-3 Landmark Conference victory over host Drew University Sunday afternoon at Lonnstrom Stadium. The Colonels took the season series 2-1 following the game three win.
 
Wilkes improved to 11-6 overall and 5-1 in Landmark games. Drew fell to 8-10 overall and 2-5 in league contests.
 
Wilkes wasted little time taking a 1-0 lead as Nathan Loch (Effort, PA/Pleasant Valley) opened the game with a triple and later scored on a Jack Mathis (Exeter PA/Wyoming Area) RBI ground out. Drew answered tying the game in the bottom of the first thanks to an RBI single to left field after a lead-off walk.
 
The Colonels went scoreless until the fifth when Devin Markert (Pittston, PA/Pittston Area) drilled a long two-run home run to left field scoring Jacob Camrbia. Gavin Lacoe (Clarks Summit, PA/Abington Heights) and Mathis added RBI hits in the frame as Wilkes led 5-1.
 
Drew used runs in the fifth and the sixth to cut the deficit to 5-3, but Loch came up big at the plate again, like all series, singling up the middle scoring Lacoe to push the advantage to 6-3. Mathis connected on a sacrifice fly scoring Loch to add one more insurance run in the top of the seventh.
 
Hunter Lawall (West Wyoming, PA/Wyoming Area) entered with two outs in the sixth and pitched the rest of the game not allowing a hit or run to hold the lead and record the win on the mound.
 
Six different Colonels posted atleast one hit as Lacoe and Loch each tallied two hits and two runs scored. Mathis topped all batters with three RBIs.
 
Wilkes looks to continue its hot start to Landmark play on Wednesday with a single nine-inning road match-up at Lycoming College scheduled for 3:30 p.m.