MARCH 27, 2010
KING'S BASEBALL SWEEPS OPENING PAIR FROM EASTERN
WILKES-BARRE -- The host King's College baseball team used a pair of pitching gems to post a doubleheader sweep of Freedom Conference rival Eastern University Saturday in the Betzler Athletic Complex. The Monarchs won the first game 11-3 before taking the nightcap 4-0.
With the win, the Monarchs improve to 10-3 overall and 5-0 in Freedom Conference play. King's and Eastern will complete their three-game season series Sunday at 2:00 p.m. in St. David's.
In the opener, the Monarchs rode the arm of left-handed starter Eric Matula who tossed a three-hitter. Offensively, King's took advantage of Eastern pitching which surrendered a combined 10 walks and two hit batters in the contest.
The Monarchs scored seven runs in the third inning, aided in part by six walks. Matt Unger had a three-run triple to key the assault. King's added one run in the fifth inning when Joey Troxell delivered a RBI double for an 8-0 lead. In the sixth, the Monarchs added three more runs. After a single and two straight walks, Pat Harsch was hot by a pitch to drive in a run. Troxell then followed up with a two-run double to end the scoring.
Troxell and Unger led the way for King's with three hits each.
Matula, meanwhile, was outstanding, surrendering just three hits and struck out seven batters while all three runs he allowed were unearned after a two-out King's error.
In the second game Tommy Rozelle tossed his second consecutive complete-game shutout with a four hitter and struck out four batters.
King's took a 2-0 lead in the third inning on a RBI bases loaded single by Chris Sweeney, and a RBI infield ground out off the bat of Matula. The Monarchs added a run in the fourth when Brenton Eades doubled and score on a single by Rob Fravel. King's added the final run of the day in the sixth inning when Jeremy Bonser singled, pinch runner Mike Santiago stole second base, and Troxell delivered a RBI single.
Fravel led King's 10-hit attack with a 3-for-4 effort while Rooney and Bonser added two hits apiece.
