EDWARDSVILLE, Pa. – The Wilkes University baseball team used a high-scoring first inning to propel them over the University of Scranton at Bruggeworth Field Wednesday night 7-3, marking their tenth consecutive win dating back to their last meeting with the Royals on April 1^st.

Wilkes improves to 23-8 on the year with a 16-3 record in Landmark play, while Scranton falls to 13-13 overall and 9-7 in conference play.

Zack Luksic (Shavertown, PA/Dallas) opened the scoring in the top of the first inning with an RBI single to left center. In the next at-bat, Jacob Cambria (Elysburg, PA/Southern Columbia) singled on a bunt to double the lead, with Andres Cruz (Wayne, PA/Radnor) bringing both home right after with a double down the left field line to make it a 4-0 ballgame.

In the second inning, the Colonel defense got Hunter Lawall (West Wyoming, PA/Wyoming Area) out of a jam allowing only one run on a bases loaded groundout, popping out the next batter to end the inning.

Cruz picked up his third RBI of the day in the bottom of the third, bringing Luksic home on a single to right field to put the Colonels up 5-1.

The Wilkes defense held strong in the fourth and fifth innings, not allowing a single run despite the Royals loading the bases in both frames. Jack Mathis (Exeter PA/Wyoming Area) then doubled down the right field line in the bottom of the sixth to bring the Colonel lead to 7-1.

Despite two runs from the visitors in the seventh, Wilkes held firm to take the 7-3 victory.

Lawall (5-0) allowed one run on three hits through five innings of work, with Tyler Uram (Carbondale Twp, PA/Lakeland) pitching the final four innings for his second save of the year. Cruz led the offense with a career-high four hits with three RBIs. Luksic and Nathan Loch (Effort, PA/Pleasant Valley) also had multi-hit days with two each.

Matt Scepkowski (2-4) took the loss pitching the first inning allowing four runs. Jake Lopez led the Royals at the plate with two hits and an RBI.

The Colonels return to Bruggeworth Field tomorrow (Thursday) as they host Keystone College at 6:30 p.m.