EDWARDSVILLE, Pa. – With eight runs in the first inning, The University of Scranton baseball team was feeling pretty good early in its game against Wilkes at the Ralston Athletic Complex on Wednesday afternoon. Little did they know they would need seven more runs in extra innings to put away the Colonels in a 19-13 victory.
The Royals (18-15) banged out 27 hits en route to their sixth win in their last eight games. Sophomore catcher Eddie Ravert (Havertown, Pa./Malvern Prep) led the attack with four hits, five RBIs, two runs scored. He blasted his first career home run in the eight-run first inning.
Scranton also received four hits each from sophomore outfielder Michael Gaeta (Cranford, N.J./Cranford), who homered and scored four times, and senior designated hitter Mark Grambo (Clarks Summit, Pa./Scranton Preparatory), who had two RBIs and two runs scored.
Scranton lead 12-1 after three innings, but the Colonels (13-24) staged a furious comeback with four runs each in the fourth and fifth innings, and single runs in the seventh, eighth and ninth while holding the Royals scoreless from the fourth through 10th innings.
After both teams were held scoreless in the 10th, Scranton scored seven times in the 11th inning. Ravert, junior Anthony Duchnowski (Dunmore, Pa./Bishop O'Hara-Holy Cross) and freshman Ross Danzig (Clarks Green, Pa./Abington Heights/Blair Academy, N.J.) all had two-run singles in the inning.
Freshman right-hander Michael Villegas (Hillsborough, N.J./Hillsborough) allowed one run while striking out three in two innings to pick up his second career victory. The Royals also received three hits, two RBIs and three runs scored from junior third baseman Michael Trabulsi (Malverne, N.Y./Chaminade).
Wilkes was led by junior shortstop Carm LoPresto (Pittston, Pa./Pittston Area), who had five hits, five RBIs and scored twice.
The Royals are back on the diamond on Saturday, April 28, when they open a pivotal three-game Landmark Conference series against Catholic University with the first game of a doubleheader at 1 p.m. in Washington, D.C.
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