Pair of Late-Inning Comebacks Propel Wilkes Baseball to Doubleheader Sweep Against Drew
EDWARDSVILLE, Pa. – Wilkes University baseball hit the diamond and finished their series against Drew University with a doubleheader sweep on Sunday afternoon. Late-inning comebacks in both games saw the Colonels earn their first series sweep of the Rangers since entering the Landmark Conference.
With the pair of victories, the Colonels improved their record to 12-7 (9-1 Landmark. Drew fell to 12-8 (5-5 Landmark).
Game One:
Mike Show (Clarks Summit, PA/Abington Heights) was on the mound for the Navy and Gold, with the Rangers unable to capitalize with the bases loaded as they were retired on strikes.
A three-run bottom of the first for Wilkes was capped off by a home run to left field by Jeremiah Atwell (Eastlake, OH/Willoughby South) as the Colonels roughed up Jayce Thoroughman early on.
The visitors answered back in the top of the second with a sac-bunt RBI from Frank Master making it a 3-1 ballgame.
From there, it was a bit of a pitchers' duel as both Show and Thoroughman dominated for a few innings.
In the top of the fifth, Show exited the game after amassing seven strikeouts, with Liam Huffman (East Stroudsburg, PA/East Stroudsburg South) taking over. Drew tied things up when they scored on a throwing error followed up by an RBI single from Anthony Tetto.
In the next half of the frame, the Colonels re-took the lead as Jack Mathis (Exeter PA/Wyoming Area) came in to score on an error.
Later on in the top of the seventh, the Rangers tied the game at four on another error. In the bottom part of the inning, the Colonels had runners on second and third, but were unable to capitalize.
The Colonels struck in the bottom of the eighth when back-to-back RBI doubles from Jack Smale (Kunkletown, PA/Pleasant Valley) and Jack Mathis (Exeter PA/Wyoming Area) pushed the score to 6-4. Jake Miller (Chambersburg, PA/James Buchanan) pitched a scoreless ninth inning to clinch the victory in game one.
Colonels pitching combined for 12 strikeouts, compared to Drew's four Ks. Mathis had an impressive first game at the plate, recording three hits and two RBIs in four at-bats.
Game Two:
Mathis continued his strong day at the plate in the bottom of the first, bringing home Nathan Loch (Effort, PA/Pleasant Valley) with a sac-fly RBI to left field to give the Colonels a 1-0 lead.
Hunter Lawall (West Wyoming, PA/Wyoming Area) was cruising along in the first two innings until Drew gave the Colonels starter some trouble in the third.
Nick Bisaccia smacked a double to left center to bring home the Rangers' first run of the game, tying it up at one. Bisaccia later scored on a caught-stealing play, giving the visitors a 2-1 lead.
Drew doubled their lead in the fourth, with Master singling to center field to bring two more runs home.
Loch tacked on a run for the Colonels to make it a 5-2 game in the bottom of the fifth off a sac-fly RBI that brought Gavin Lacoe (Clarks Summit, PA/Abington Heights) home.
In the bottom of the seventh, Mathis delivered yet again, this time with another RBI double that brought Loch home.
It was a drama-filled bottom of the ninth as the Colonels, trailing by two were able to walk it off, securing the series sweep. Mathis collected another RBI, bringing Loch home once again on a fielder's choice.
He then scored a few plays later on an interesting play, with Richie Rossi (Hazleton, PA/Hazleton Area) faking the Drew infield on a steal attempt, allowing Mathis to score on a throwing error from Drew shortstop Anthony Vallero.
Wilkes sent the Rangers packing when Michael Sabella (Cornelius, NC/Hough) struck out, but a dropped third strike went out of reach of catcher Redsy Klein and allowed Rossi to score, ending the ballgame.
Zachary Lloyd (Scranton, PA/West Scranton) pitched 5.1 innings in relief of Lawall, picking up four strikeouts and allowing just one walk and a run. His performance earned him the win, the right-hander's third of the season.
The Colonels continue their 2026 Landmark Conference campaign on Tuesday, March 31 when they hit the road to take on Lycoming College. First pitch against the Warriors is set for 3:30 p.m. from Brandon Park in Williamsport, Pa.
