WILKES-BARRE (PA) – The Delaware Valley University baseball team dropped both games of a Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom doubleheader at Wilkes University on Friday.
The Colonels came from behind to take the first game, 7-5 in nine innings and won the nightcap, 8-2. Wilkes is 11-7 overall and evened their conference mark at 3-3. The Aggies are 9-6 with a 2-4 conference record.
DelVal struck for four runs in the first inning of game one. The first three Aggies reached base with the last being a two-run double by junior center fielder Kyle Wenger. Senior catcher Corey White and sophomore third baseman Nick Liantonio both added a RBI single. Wenger crossed the plate on an error in the second and Delaware Valley led 5-0.
Wilkes began its rally with three runs in the sixth. The first three batters reached with third baseman Joe Champi driving in two runs with a double. He came home on a base hit by shortstop Matthew Reese. Down to their final out in the bottom of the seventh, the Colonels tied the game on another two-run double by Champi. First baseman Ryan Herbst won the contest with a two-run walk-off home run in the ninth.
Herbst went three-for-five in the game with a double, a home run, two RBI and two runs scored. Champi had three hits (four at-bats), two doubles, four RBI and a run scored. Left fielder James Brown scored three times.
For DelVal, sophomore shortstop Kevin Crill and senior designated hitter Matt Dewald both went three-for-five. Crill had a double and scored one time. Wenger tallied two hits (four at-bats), a double, two RBI and two runs scored. Junior second baseman Ben Lippincott and sophomore left fielder Sammy Amos each scored once.
Patrick Condo was the winning pitcher (2-0) and junior Trevor Dalton took the loss (2-1).
Wilkes opened the second game with a run in the first frame. Right fielder Joshua Slocum had a RBI single to right field. Herbst added a run-scoring single in the third and a sacrifice fly in the fifth for a 3-0 advantage. The Aggies cut the deficit to one in the sixth. Crill hit a RBI double to left center and Dewald had a sac fly.
The Colonels pulled away with five runs in the bottom of the sixth. Catcher Alex Kramer had a RBI double to left field before scoring on an error, Brown plated two runs with a double to left center and Champi sent a run-scoring single to right.
Chris Nixon went five innings and allowed one run on just two hits while walking two and striking out four for the victory (2-1). Matt Kaster threw the final two frames for his second save. Junior Chris Kelly suffered the loss (2-1).
Brown, Herbst and Champi all recorded two hits. Brown had a double to go along with two RBI and one run scored. Herbst also drove in two and scored once. Champi, Slocum and Kramer totaled one RBI apiece. Center fielder Jarret Clymer crossed the plate three times.
The Aggies take a break from conference play when they host Lancaster Bible College for a doubleheader on Monday, March 28 (1:30 p.m.).