WILKES-BARRE, Pa. – The University of Scranton baseball team (19-5-1) scored 17 runs between the third and sixth innings and rolled to a 22-4 win over the Wilkes University Colonels (15-13) in non-conference action on Wednesday afternoon at Bruggeworth Field in Wilkes-Barre.
The 22 runs are a season-high and the most that the Royals have scored since a 29-11 victory over Marywood on March 26, 2019.
Scranton trailed 2-0 after two innings, but responded with four runs in the third, one in the fourth, seven in the fifth and five in the sixth to take a 17-4 lead.
Senior Tyler Kirsten (Wallenpaupack, Pa./Wallenpaupack Area) delivered a two-run single in the third inning to open the scoring for the visitors and classmate Dan Crossan (Media, Pa./Archbishop Carroll) added an RBI single later in the frame for a 4-2 lead. Wilkes plated two runs in the home half to even things at four apiece before sophomore Corey Zientek (Sugarloaf, Pa./Hazleton Area) came through with an RBI double in the top of the fourth to give the Royals the lead for good.
The Royals broke the game open with the seven-run fifth as graduate student Connor Harding (Vestal, N.Y./Vestal) drove home a pair with a two-run single and Kirsten came through with an RBI double to go along with RBI singles from sophomore Jack Heineman (Abington, Pa./LaSalle College) and junior Justin Pinckert (Somerville, N.J./Immaculata).
Kirsten cleared the bases with a three-run triple as part of the five-run sixth inning and tallied six RBI on the day, tied for the sixth most in a single game in program history. The six RBI are also the most by a Royal since Ian McIntosh plated six in the afore-mentioned victory over Marywood.
Tegan Shortlidge was dealt the loss for the Colonels after allowing the 10 runs (five earned) on 11 hits to go along with two walks and three strikeouts over 4 2/3 IP.
Senior right-hander Josh Lydon (Shavertown, Pa./Dallas) got a no-decision for the Royals after allowing four runs (two earned) on five hits to go along with three walks and a strikeout in four innings of work.
Freshman righty Jimmy Murray (Hawthorne, N.Y./Westlake) scattered three hits over two scoreless innings and notched the win for Scranton to improve to 2-0 on the year.
The Royals tacked on five more runs in the eighth to complete the scoring including a two-run blast from sophomore John Zarnowski (East Brunswick, N.J./St. Joseph's), the first home run of his career.
Offensively, Scranton tallied a season-best 21 hits behind three hit games from both Kirsten (3-5, 2B, 3B, 6 RBI, SB, 3 R) and Zientek (3-3, 2 2B, 2 RBI, 3 R). Crossan (2-4, RBI, R), Harding (2-4, 2 RBI, 3 R), Heineman (2-3, RBI, SB, 2 R) and Pinckert (2-4, 2B, RBI) also added multi-hit games in the victory.
Senior right-handers Mason Boettger (Old Forge, Pa./Old Forge) and Conner DiAngelo (East Granby, Conn./Northwest Catholic) both had scoreless outings in relief along with Murray.
The University of Scranton baseball team returns home to host Susquehanna in a crucial Landmark Conference doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at Volpe Field with first pitch of game one slated for 12 p.m.
--ROYALS--