MARCH 19, 2010
KING'S BASEBALL WINS SERIES OPENER AGAINST MISERICORDIA 4-2
WILKES-BARRE -- The King's College baseball team opened the 2010 Freedom Conference schedule on a high note as the Monarchs posted a 4-2 victory over Misericordia University in the first of a three-game series Friday at Lipo Field in the Robert L. Betzler Athletic Complex.
With the win, King's improved to 4-2 on the year while Misericordia slipped to 7-3. The teams will complete their season series Saturday with a 1:00 p.m. doubleheader at Misericordia in Dallas.
King's took a 1-0 first inning lead when freshman Chris Sweeney singled and later scored on a double by Sean Rooney. The Cougars tied the game in the third inning when Anthony Goncalves reached base on a fielder's choice and eventually scored following a double by Nate Newman.
The Monarchs took a 2-1 lead in the bottom half of the third when Sweeney launched a towering solo home run well beyond the left field fence. King's added a run in the sixth inning Jeremy Bonser doubled and Brian Mikus drove home pinch runner Mike Santiago with a single to right field.
In the eighth inning the Monarchs struck again when Eric Matula singled, moved to third on a base hit from Mikus, and came home thanks to a sacrifice fly by Joey Troxel to give King's a 4-1 lead heading into the final inning.
Misericordia looked to rally when Newman came through with a one-out double and Jeff Slanovec and Kenny Durling singled to load the bases. Newman would score on a wild pitch, cutting the King's lead to 4-2, but Monarch reliever Brenton Eades induced an infield out and a fly ball to right field to end the game.
Mikus led King's with a 3-for showing while Sweeney, Matula, and Bonser aided the Monarchs' 11-hit attack with two base hits each. Matula earned the pitching victory, allowing one run on eight hits in seven innings of work. Eades posted the save, allowing one run in two innings of relief.
For Misericordia, Newman was 3-for-4 while Slanovec and Chris Tuttle managed two hits apiece. Cougar startring pitcher Patrick Clark took the loss, allowing three earned runs on nine hits in seven innings.
