This weekend, the Colonels lost the three-game series against the Misericordia University Cougars 2-1, putting them at 6-9 overall and 3-3 in the conference. On a bitter cold Friday afternoon, the Cougars kicked off their conference play with an 8-5 win over the Colonels in the first game of the series. Both teams took some time to adjust to the frigid conditions, having three scoreless innings. But in the top of the fourth, the Colonels’ offense broke-out, scoring two runs and taking the lead. With one out, a single to left field by freshman Vincent Uzzi got the ball rolling for the Colonels. Senior Jay Clymer followed Uzzi’s lead with a double down the left field line, putting men on second and third. A walk by senior Nicholas Capozzi loaded the bases for sophomore Matt Reinert, who singled up the middle, scoring Uzzi and Clymer to put the Colonels ahead 2-0. In the top of the sixth, the Colonels tacked on two more runs. A lead-off single up the middle by Clymer followed by a Capozzi single to right field put two men on. After a fly-out by Reinert, sophomore Tyler Walther came in clutch with a two-run shot up the middle, putting the Colonels ahead 4-0. Freshman pitcher Kyle Pokrinchak was lights-out on the mound until the bottom of the sixth when the Cougars’ offense broke open with a lead-off walk by junior Santo Guinta. After giving up a run, freshman Matthew Konikow was brought in to pitch, but the Cougars’ offense was able to tack on four more runs, taking the lead 5-4. In the bottom of the seventh, another lead-off walk by Guinta set the tone for the inning, allowing the Cougars to expand their lead to 8-4. In the top of the ninth, the Colonels attempted a late-game comeback, with a one-out single to left field by junior captain Jack Fischer. A walk by senior Joe Champi put men on first and second for Uzzi in the cleanup hole, who singled to left field and scored Fischer. However, the Colonels comeback attempt came too late in the game, as they fell 8-5. On Saturday, the Colonels hosted a doubleheader in much nicer weather than the day before with a solid outing of Colonel fans for support, winning game two of the series 8-7 and falling in game three 3-1. In game two of the series, the Colonels took the 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second. A lead-off walk by Clymer, who advanced to second on a wild pitch, put him in scoring position for Capozzi’s one-run single to centerfield. In the top of the third, the Cougars surpassed the Colonels one-run lead with two runs of their own. In the fourth, the Cougars tacked on another run when junior Parker Abate, who got on with a hit-by-pitch, scored off of junior Kenny Jarema’s sac-fly to centerfield, putting the Cougars ahead 3-1. However, in the bottom of the fourth, the Colonels answered back with two runs, tying the game 3-3. With Clymer leading off the inning, the Colonels dominating part of their lineup was up to bat. A double to left field by Clymer, who went 5-for-10 with two walks on the weekend, and a walk by Capozzi put two men on for Walther’s one-out single to right field, scoring Clymer. A walk by freshman Nick Pronti loaded the bases for the sac-fly by junior Brady Wing, who scored Capozzi and tied the game. In the top of the fifth, the Cougars were able to tack on two runs after the Colonels’ pitching change from junior Jeremy Worlinsky to junior Noah Durnin. With the 5-3 lead, the Cougars added to their advantage with a solo homerun by sophomore pinch-hitter Sean Lyons. Durnin hit the next batter, Jarema, and both teams were given pitching warnings by the umpire. An error by Capozzi allowed Jarema to score and advanced their lead to 7-3. In the bottom of the sixth, a walk by Walther, a hit-by-pitch for Wing, and a walk by Fischer, loaded the bases for a hit-by-pitch for Champi, bringing in Walther. A fielder’s choice to third base for Uzzi scored Wing and helped the Colonels close the gap on the Cougars 7-5. A scoreless top of the seventh by freshman pitcher Colin Smith, who got his first conference win, left the Colonels down an attainable two runs. A lead-off double down the left field line by Reinert, followed by walks for both Walther and Wing, left the bases loaded with two outs for Champi. Freshman Michael Patrizio went in to pinch-run for Walther, putting three of the Colonels fastest men on the bases. A full-count single to left-field scored Reinert and Patrizio cleanly, but an error by the left fielder allowed Wing to score from first, giving Champi the walk-off, three-run single to win the game 8-7. “Although we didn’t end up winning the series against a very good, defending champion, Mis team, we played hard and competed until the last pitch in every game, proving that we’re a special group who can compete for a MAC championship” said Champi. “As for the walk-off hit, it’s definitely a top moment in my Wilkes career and one that I’ll think about years down the road.” In the third game of the series, the Colonels’ lone run was scored in the bottom of the third with a single by Patrizio, who crossed the plate on a wild pitch during a Champi at bat. But their lead didn’t last for long, as the Cougars tied the game 1-1 in the top of the fourth with Lyons, who singled to left, scoring off of a bloop single in shallow centerfield by freshman Adam Concadoro. The Cougars were able to tack on one run in both the sixth and the seventh innings, not allowing the Colonels to score, winning both the game and the series. The Colonels will travel to Marywood University on Mar. 27 for a game at 3:00 p.m. Game One: Misericordia 8, Wilkes 5 Wilkes 000 202 001 — 5 10 2 Misericordia 000 005 30X — 8 8 2 E — Chad Bell, Billy Kerwien. SH — Shane Hughes. SF — Conor Smith, Sean Lyons. SB — Kenny Jarema, Steve Weisensee, Parker Abate. 2B — Conor Smith. Pitching: WIL — Kyle Pokrinchak 5 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 0 SO; Matthew Konikow (L 1-1), 3 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 2 SO. (Pokirinchak faced four batters in 6th.) MIS — Elliot Forde 5.1 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 5 SO; Taylor Price (W 1-0), 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO; Kyle Melahn 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 SO; Drake Koch 1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO. Game Two: Wilkes 8, Misericordia 7 Misericordia 002 122 0 — 7 6 2 Wilkes 010 202 3 — 8 7 2 E — Shane Hughes, Jake Kurtz, Nick Capozzi (2). SH — Conor Smith, Cole Bixler, Parker Abate. SF — Kenny Jarema, Santo Guinta, Brady Wing. SB — Jarema, Guinta, Boylan. 2B — Jarret Clymer, Matt Reinert. HR — Sean Lyons. Pitching: MIS — Jake Kurtz 5 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 5 SO; James Magaldi 0.2 IP, 0 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 SO; Kyle Melahn 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 SO; Kenny Jarema (L 0-1), 0.2 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 SO. WIL — Jeremy Worlinsky 4.1 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 SO; Noah Durnin 1.1 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO; Colin Smith 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 SO. Game Three: Misericordia 3, Wilkes 1 Misericordia 000 101 1 — 3 7 0 Wilkes 001 000 0 — 1 4 2 E — Michael Parizio (2). SH — Conor Smith, Steve Weisensee, Billy Kerwien. CS — Adam Concadoro. SB — Michael Patrizio. 2B — Jarret Clymer 3B — Concadoro. Pitching: MIS — Ian McCole (W 4-0), 7 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 SO. WIL — Matt Amaral (L 2-2), 5.2 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 2 SO; Andrew Indzonka 1.1 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO.