SCRANTON, Pa. – The University of Scranton baseball team (12-3, 6-1 Landmark) took the lead for good with consecutive four-run innings in the third and fourth and notched a 12-5 victory over the Wilkes University Colonels (14-3, 5-2 Landmark) on Monday afternoon at Volpe Field in Scranton.
Scranton has now won four straight overall.
Wilkes took advantage of two walks and a hit by pitch in the first inning and plated three runs to grab an early 3-0 lead. However, the Royals began to battle back with solo runs in the next two frames as senior John Zarnowski (East Brunswick, N.J./St. Joseph's) knocked in a run with an RBI groundout and freshman Jared Cassella (Flemington, N.J./Hunterdon Central) delivered an RBI single.
In the afore-mentioned four-run third inning, Zarnowski tied the game at three with an RBI double and freshman Jake Lopez (Oakland, N.J./Ramapo) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to bring home the go-ahead run. Cassella then followed Lopez with a two-run single that extended the lead to 6-3 for the time being.
Tegan Shortlidge was dealt the loss for the Colonels after allowing five runs on four hits to go along with two walks and a strikeout over 2 1/3 IP.
The Royals were able to make it a 10-3 game with four more runs in the fourth as Zarnowski drove home a pair with a two-run single and Cassella along with senior Matthew Querey (Wilmington, Del./Salesianum) came through with sac flies.
Graduate student right-hander Daniel Johnson (Whitehouse Station, N.J./Immaculata) recorded his fourth win of the year for Scranton as he gave up three runs on three hits while walking four and fanning nine in five innings of work. His nine strikeouts matched a career-high that had been set in a win at Drew on Apr. 3, 2021.
Wilkes got two runs back in the sixth to draw within 10-5, but the Royals plated a pair in the eighth courtesy of sac flies from Lopez and junior Pat Coyne (Randolph, N.J./Morristown-Beard).
In relief of Johnson, senior lefty Jason Carpenter (Scranton, Pa./Scranton) allowed just one hit and struck out one over 2 2/3 scoreless and sophomore righty Aidan Rumain (Martinsville, N.J./Immaculata) fanned one in a scoreless ninth.
Cassella (2-3, BB, 4 RBI), Lopez (2-2, 2 RBI), Querey (2-4, RBI, R) and Zarnowski (3-5, 2 2B, 4 RBI, 3 R) all tallied multi-hit games for the Royals.
Scranton hits the road to face Drew in a Landmark Conference matchup on Wednesday afternoon with first pitch slated for 3:30 p.m.
--ROYALS--
