WILKES-BARRE, PA – The Manhattanville College baseball team split a MAC Freedom doubleheader with Wilkes University Saturday afternoon, taking the first game 5-4 to earn a win in the three-game conference series, following a 16-15 win yesterday, before dropping the series finale 13-6.

Graduate student Chris Conklin (Yorktown Heights, N.Y./Lakeland) finished the day 3-for-4 with four walks; the super utility man got the nod to start the first game on the mound and earned his first win of the season, pitching a season-best six innings; freshman Luke Shaffer (Monroe, Conn./Masuk) and senior Nick Campana (Yonkers, N.Y./St. John the Baptist Elementary) added two hits each in the win. Junior Luke Scoggins (Merrick, N.Y./Sanford H. Calhoun) went 2-for-4 with two RBI's in game 2, while freshman Hathaway Roper (Stratford, Conn./Bunnell) posted his first collegiate multi-hit game, finishing 2-for-4.

Game 1: Manhattanville 5, Wilkes 4

The Valiants jumped out to an early 1-0 lead when Conklin, who led off with a single and later stole second base, scored on a groundout by freshman Jack Matero (Hopewell Junction, N.Y./John Jay).

In the second, Campana and Shaffer posted consecutive one-out singles, and both later advanced on a wild pitch. With two out, sophomore Matt Lynch (Wappingers Falls, N.Y./Roy C. Ketcham) singled both in, putting Manhattanville up 3-0. The Colonels tied the game in the bottom half of the inning when Alex Halladay scored on a wild pitch and Brady Wing singled in Tyler Walther and Matt Reinert.

Conklin, making his fourth appearance and third start on the mound this season, and Wilkes' Jeremy Worlinsky and Colin Smith posted zeroes over the next four innings as the score remained deadlocked at three heading to the seventh inning.

In the top of the frame, sophomore Peter Iannarilli (West Nyack, N.Y./Clarkstown South) led off with a walk and was sacrificed to second base. After Stephen Merrill (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Roy C. Ketcham) walked, junior Tom Gilmartin (Levittown, N.Y./Island Trees) came in to pinch-run. After both men moved up 90 feet on a wild pitch, a two-out error by Wilkes' Michael Patrizio allowed both to cross the plate with the go-ahead runs.

In the bottom of the inning, representing the winning run, Jack Fischer's two-out double scored Brady Wing and put the tying-run at third base with two outs.  After Joe Champi was intentionally walked, sophomore Justin Proteau (Wolcott, Conn./Canterbury School) came in and struck out Jaret Clymer to end the threat, and the game, earning his first save of the season.

Game 2: Wilkes 13, Manhattanville 6

The Valiants again struck in the opening inning when Conklin again led off with a single, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt and a ground out, and scored on a single by Matero. Clymer tied the game for Wilkes (12-12, 7-5 MACF) with an RBI double in the bottom of the first.

Conklin, Lynch, and Scoggins started the third inning with three straight singles, with Conklin scoring on Scoggins' base hit. After Matero walked to load the bases, Shaffer singled up the middle, scoring Lynch and Scoggins, putting the visitors up 4-1. Nick Capozzi cut the lead to one with a two-run homer in the bottom half of the inning.

Manhattanville (10-12, 6-5 MACF) got a run back in the top of the fourth when Roper and Lynch both singled in front of Scoggins, who drove in Roper with a single to center field, but the Colonels jumped in front with a four-run frame in the bottom of the inning. Vincent Uzzi launched a two-out, three-run double to left center, then scored when Reinert followed with a single to left.

The Valiants halved the deficit in the fifth when Matero scored on a fielder's choice. With two out and two on, Roper delivered a single into right field, but Campana was thrown out at home trying to score from second base. Capozzi added to the Colonels' lead with a two-run single to right the following half-inning. Champi put the game out of reach with a two-out grand slam in the bottom of the sixth.

Manhattanville's home doubleheader versus Delaware Valley University, rescheduled for tomorrow at 1 p.m., has been postponed again until April 29 due to weather. The Valiants are now scheduled to return to action on Tuesday at 4 p.m. against neighboring Purchase College.