Box Score EDWARDSVILLE, -Pa.—Despite five home runs on the afternoon, the FDU-Florham baseball team let one slip away and fell 10-9 to Wilkes University on Friday at Artillery Park.

The Colonels (10-16, 5-11 Freedom) scored the game-winning run on a ground ball in the bottom of the ninth inning. With the loss, FDU-Florham drops to 15-9 overall and 11-5 in conference play.

Senior first baseman Frank LaGuarina (Somerset, N.J./Immaculata) went 3-for-4 with three runs and a solo home run in the loss.

In the top of the second inning, LaGuarina launched a solo blast over the left field fence for his first homer of the season. Later in the frame, with one on, senior third baseman Austin Tomaszewicz (Old Bridge, N.J./St. Joseph's Metuchen) hammered a two-run shot, which gave the Devils a 3-0 advantage.

FDU-Florham led 3-1 in the bottom of the fourth, when Wilkes rallied with three runs to go in front 4-3. In the top of the fifth inning, the Devils regained the lead courtesy of back-to-back-to-back solo home runs. Sophomore center fielder Frankie Tassielli (Florham Park, N.J./Hanover Park) led off the inning and started the barrage with his second homer of the season. The next two batters, catcher Alex Geramita (Old Tappan, N.J/Don Bosco) and shortstop Brandan Adams (Jackson, N.J./Jackson Memorial) each went yard and after a sacrifice fly the Devils led 7-4.

The Devils scored two runs on one hit and an error in the top of the seventh, which built their lead to 9-4. Unfortunately, they were unable to protect the five-run advantage.
The Colonels rushed back with four runs on four hits in the bottom of the seventh and cut the lead to one. After a scoreless inning and a half, the Devils were three outs away from the win but the Colonels had other plans.

Wilkes started the decisive ninth with a pair of singles and then tied the game on a throwing error by the Devils. Colonels pinch hitter Alex Kramer plated the winning run on a slow ground ball down the third baseline.

Matt Kaster pitched an inning of relief to earn the win for Wilkes, while Devils junior closer Bobby Bray (Fairfax, Va./Robinson) took the loss to fall to 0-1 on the campaign. Adams joined LaGuarina with a multiple-hit game and went 2-for-3 with two runs and an RBI in the loss. Wilkes junior Stephen Ruch led the Colonels with four hits, two runs and an RBI in the victory.

Next up for the Devils:
These two teams face off again on Saturday, in a doubleheader slated for 1 p.m. in Madison, N.J.