DOYLESTOWN (PA) – Delaware Valley College exploded for 12 runs over the third and fourth innings as the host Aggies pulled away to a 13-2 victory over Wilkes University in the opening tilt of a three-game, Freedom Conference series.

Delaware Valley improved to 15-19 overall and kept its conference playoff hopes alive. At 7-12, the Aggies are a game behind both Eastern University and Manhattanville College, which are tied for the fourth and final postseason spot. Eastern and Manhattanville each has a doubleheader remaining with a team tied for first in the Freedom (Eastern vs Misericordia, Manhattanville vs DeSales) while Delaware Valley will travel to Edwardsville on Saturday for a doubleheader with Wilkes (12-25, 3-16).

The Aggies scored the opening run of the game in the second inning thanks to a two-out, RBI single by Mike Otstot. They then tacked on four runs on four hits and one Colonel error in the third. Pete O'Hara did it all for the first tally as he singled, stole second and third and scored when the throw to third sailed into the left field. Later in the inning, Delaware Valley loaded the bases and Jeff Sennett cleared them with a three-run double to left.

Wilkes got on the board with a run in the top of the fourth on an RBI single by Bobby Schappell. However, the Aggies responded in a big way in the bottom of the stanza as they sent 13 batters to the plate and notched eight runs on nine hits. Dan Hrubos knocked in the first two runs with a triple and later brought in the final tallies with a two-run single. In-between, Jake Barben had an RBI single, Mike Ferrier tripled in a pair and Otstot brought Ferrier in with an RBI single.

Delaware Valley ended the afternoon with 17 hits with each starter notching at least base knock. Hrubos finished 3-for-5 with two runs scored and four RBIs. Sennett was 1-for-5 with three RBIs while O'Hara was 3-for-6 and scored three runs. Ferrier (2-for-2) and Otsot (2-for-5) drove in two runs apiece. Jim Calabrese allowed two runs over eight innings and improved to 2-4 on the year.

The Colonels did have 14 hits in the game, but they grounded into three double plays and had two runners picked off. Schappell finished 3-for-4 with two RBIs, including one in the eighth inning for the final tally of the contest. Carmen LoPresto and Matt Ruch were each 2-for-4. Zach Lazar went three innings and took the loss.