WILKES-BARRE, Pa. — Five pitchers combined to allow just three hits and senior Josh Bottger (Wilkes-Barre, Pa. / Wilkes Barre Area) stroked three hits in his hometown to lead the Lycoming College baseball team, which dropped a Landmark Conference matchup, 2-0, at Wilkes University on Thursday, March 19 at Bruggeworth Field.

Lycoming (7-10, 0-4) allowed a season low in hits to Wilkes (6-5, 3-0), but were shut out for the first time this season, being held to five hits.

Following a scoreless first, Wilkes strung together four straight two-out base runners in the second, plating a run on an infield single by Matthew Snow. The Colonels added to the lead in the third, again with two outs. This time, it was an Andres Cruz single to right that pushed the Wilkes lead to 2-0.

The Warriors' first-year starter Brayden Maksimik (Shenandoah, Pa. / Shenandoah Valley) worked the first three innings, allowing both runs, then gave way to senior Landon Evans (Millville, Pa.), who retired the first four batters he faced, then walked the bases loaded in the fifth. However, Evans picked up a strikeout, then handed the ball off to sophomore Lex Nelsen (Freehold, N.J. / Freehold Township), who induced an inning-ending flyout to keep the deficit at two runs.

The Warriors' best opportunity came in the second, when consecutive one-out singles from junior Eric MacCluen (Downingtown, Pa. / Bishop Shanahan) and Bottger put two on, but a line-drive double play ended that threat.  The Warriors only had three runners reach second base all night.

Evans turned in 1 2/3 innings out of the bullpen, followed by 1 1/3 frames from Nelsen, and one inning each from first year Beau Brungard (Lock Haven, Pa. / Central Mountain) and senior Joel Inman (Berlin, N.J. / Eastern Regional) . The bullpen combined for five hitless innings on the night.

Wilkes starter Zach Lloyd held the Warriors in check, spinning seven shutout innings, allowing five hits and no walks while striking out three.

The Warriors will return to action this weekend for a three-game Landmark Conference series against the defending Landmark Conference tournament champions, the Catholic University of America. The series gets underway with a doubleheader on Saturday, March 21, which is scheduled for a noon first pitch from Talbot Field.