EDWARDSVILLE, Pa. – The Drew University baseball lost a pair of close games at Wilkes University to close out a Landmark Conference series on Sunday.
 
The conference-leading Colonels (12-7, 9-1 LC) won the opener 6-4, then rallied with three runs in the bottom of the ninth to win the second game 6-5 and complete a series sweep.
 
In the opener, Wilkes never trailed after scoring three runs on three hits in the bottom of the first, capped by a two-run homer by Jeremiah Atwell. However, freshman starting pitcher Jayce Thoroughman settled in and allowed just one unearned run over his last five innings. Over six innings, he yielded seven hits and two walks while striking out three.
 
The Rangers (12-8, 5-5 LC) got on the scoreboard when sophomore Frank Master bunted in a run in the second. Drew tied it with two runs in the fifth, which was capped by an RBI-single from freshman Anthony Tetto.
 
Wilkes went back in front, 4-3, with a single run in the bottom half, but the Rangers tied it up again with an unearned run in the seventh. However, the Colonels pushed across two runs in the bottom of the eighth on consecutive doubles from Jack Smale and and Jack Mathis.
 
Sophomore Nick Garbooshian (3-1) pitched the last two innings in relief for Drew and was charged with the loss. He allowed two runs on two hits and two walks while striking out one.
 
In the second game, Wilkes went up 1-0 in the bottom of the first against freshman starter Nicholas Lo Vacco. However, the Rangers scored five runs from the third through the fifth to go up 5-1. Senior Nick Bisaccia doubled in a run to pull Drew even in the third, and sophomore Zach Maxwell smacked a two-run double in the fourth to put the Rangers up 4-1. Freshman Nick Donofrio capped the scoring for Drew when he blasted a solo homer in the fifth to hand the Rangers their four-run lead.
 
The Colonels chipped away with single runs in the fifth and seventh to make it a 5-3 game before putting together their late rally, which included two hits, two errors, a walk, and a pair stolen bases. The winning run ended up scoring on a strike three-passed ball.
 
Lo Vacco pitched 6 2/3 innings, yielding three runs (two earned) on four hits and two walks. He struck out five. Junior Graham Ross (1-1) absorbed the loss, allowing three runs (one earned) on three hits and two walks over two innings. He fanned two.
 
Bisaccia finished 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles for Drew while freshman Jordan Delude was also 2-for-4.
 
The Rangers return to action on Tuesday, when they host the University of Mount Saint Vincent in a non-conference game starting at 3:30 p.m.