EDWARDSVILLE, Pa. – The Arcadia University baseball team scored six runs in the first inning, surviving a five-run bottom of the ninth, taking a 10-9 victory to open its Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) series at Wilkes University on Friday afternoon.
 
The Knights improved to 4-0 in conference and 15-3 overall with the win.
 
Arcadia started the game with a bang, pushing across six runs in the top of the first. Alex Madera led off with a double down the left field line and was followed by Hunter Curley, who got hit by a pitch. Justin Massielo reached on a fielding error to load the bases and Connor Cheeseman brought home Madera with a single to right. Joseph Kumar reached on a fielder's choice, allowing Curley to score when the third baseman threw the ball away. Mat Sot doubled to right-center bringing home Cheeseman and sending Kumar to third. After a pop-out, Nick Opalkowski laid down a sacrifice bunt that brought home not only Kumar from third but also Sot from second to finish the scoring.
 
The Knights added a seventh run in the top of the third when Kumar hot a one-out single to center, moved to second when Sot hit an infield single with a throwing error that allowed Kumar to move to third, followed by a groundout off the bat of Opalkowski that brought Kumar home.
 
Wilkes got on the board with two runs in the bottom of the sixth.
 
Kumar helped Arcadia to an eighth run in the top of the seventh when he hit a sacrifice fly scoring Massielo, who reached on a single, stole second, and moved to third on a wild pitch.
 
The Colonels cut the lead to four with two runs in the bottom of the eighth.
 
The Knights added on in the top of the ninth when Madera walked to start the frame and scored on Massielo's one-out triple to center followed by Cheeseman, who singled to right scoring Massielo.
 
Wilkes plated five runs in the bottom of the ninth but Owen Margolis stranded the tying run at third to end the game.
 
Curley earned the win, allowing four runs on eight hits across eight innings with two walks and nine strikeouts. Margolis recorded the final two outs to earn the save.
 
Kumar led the offense going 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI. Massielo, Cheeseman, and Sot all added multiple hits for Arcadia.
 
The Knights return to action tomorrow when they host Arcadia for a MAC Freedom doubleheader starting at 12:00 p.m.