WILKES-BARRE, Pa. - The Wilkes University baseball split their Sunday afternoon doubleheader against the Catholic University Cardinals. After dropping game one 6-2, the Colonels bounced back with a 1-0 win in game two.
The Colonels move to 23-14 (18-5 Landmark) this season, while the Cardinals now sit at 21-16 (11-13 Landmark) this season.
Game 1: Catholic 6, Wilkes 2
Looking to eliminate their rival from playoff contention, the Colonels took an early lead in game one. Evan Melberger (West Pittston, PA/Wyoming Area) doubled to start the bottom of the first, advanced to third after a flyout, and scored when Andres Cruz (Wayne, PA/Radnor) hustled out an infield RBI single.
They increased their 1-0 lead to 2-0 in the third inning when Gavin Lacoe (Clarks Summit, PA/Abington Heights) singled to start the frame, and came around to score two batters later thanks to a Jack Mathis (Exeter PA/Wyoming Area) RBI single to center field.
That two-run cushion didn't last long because Sammy Burman hit a solo home run over the right field wall off Zachary Lloyd (Scranton, PA/West Scranton) to start the fourth inning, making it 2-1 Wilkes. The Cardinals nearly tied the game in the next inning, but Jake Miller (Chambersburg, PA/James Buchanan) made a spectacular throw from the outfield to gun down the lead runner at home plate to keep the Colonels on top.Â
Fast forward to the top of the seventh, where the Catholic offense came alive to snatch the lead. Chase Falcon got the rally started with a double in the gap, and then Gabriel Ruiz tripled as the very next batter to tie the game. A Michael Napolitano RBI single put Catholic on top 3-2, and Chris Esquivel hit an RBI sacrifice fly to bring home the third run of the inning.
The Colonels went down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the seventh, and then the Cardinals tacked on another two insurance runs in the eighth to ensure a 6-2 victory. Coen Devillier got the win on the mound for Catholic, pitching the final five innings of the game and allowing just one hit with six strikeouts. Lloyd took the loss for Wilkes with a final stat line of 6.1 innings pitched, eight hits allowed, four earned runs allowed, and three strikeouts.
Catholic had five players finish with two hits, but Burman led the way going 2-4 with a solo home run and a double. Meanwhile for Wilkes, six different players recorded a hit.
Game 2: Wilkes 1, Catholic 0
Game two was a pitching gem from both sides with just eight hits tallied all game. The Colonels used six different pitchers in this contest, and held the Cardinals without a hit for the final four innings of play.
Luke Cardman pitched the first six innings of this game for Catholic, and recorded six shutout innings, two hits allowed, and six strikeouts. He passed it off to Jack Scholz out of the bullpen for the final two innings, and that's when the Wilkes offense finally came to life.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, Devin Markert (Pittston, PA/Pittston Area) doubled to get things started and Richie Rossi (Hazleton, PA/Hazleton Area) then came in as a pinch runner. Mike Show (Clarks Summit, PA/Abington Heights) advanced Rossi to third with a groundout, and then a clutch sacrifice bunt by Jack Veith (Franklin, NJ/Wallkill Valley) brought Rossi home for the game's only run.
Jake Miller (Chambersburg, PA/James Buchanan) entered the game in the top of the ninth for the three-out save, and the first year did his job by getting Burman to fly out for the first out and inducing a double play to end the game.
Ethan Jezewski (Millerstown, PA/Greenwood) got the win on the mound for Wilkes by recording the final two outs of the eighth to escape a jam, and Scholz got the loss with two innings pitched and allowing one run off three hits.
Gannon Decker (Hawley, PA/Wallenpaupack Area) led the Colonels at the plate in game two by going 2-3 with two singles and a walk. Napolitano finished with two of Catholic's three hits during the game, going 2-3 with two singles.
The Colonels return to the diamond on Tuesday, April 28, for a non-conference matchup against DeSales at 5 p.m.
