MAY 8, 2010
KING'S SOFTBALL REPEATS TO WIN FREEDOM TITLE OVER MISERICORDIA
DOYLESTOWN -- Tournament most valuable player Lindsey Hoerner drove in the game-tying runs, then added the game-winning run as the King's College softball team won a second straight Freedom Conference championship with a 6-5 victory over Misericordia University Saturday at Delaware Valley College, Doylestown.
King's, which lost the first game of the championship series to Misericordia 14-9, won its ninth Freedom Conference crown in the last 10 years. With it, the Lady Monarchs received an automatic berth into the NCAA Division III national Tournament.
King's reached the final by winning both games Friday, tallying a 1-0 win in 10 innings over Manhattanville, then posting a 9-5 triumph over top-seeded DeSales. Misericordia took the long route to the title series after falling to DeSales in its first game on Friday. On Saturday, the Cougars defeated Manhattanville 7-1, before knocking off DeSales 11-1 in their second game of the day.
With Misericordia holding a 5-3 lead in the sixth, Rachel Zinni led off with a bunt single and Meaghan Galvin reached base on an error to give the Lady Monarchs runners at first and second with no outs. After a fielder's choice gave King's runners at second and third respectively, Hoerner drilled a two-run single to tie the game at 5-5. Christie Parfitt then drew a two-out walk and Katie Fry followed with a RBI single to bring home Hoerner with what proved to be the winning run as King's took a 6-5 King's lead.
In the bottom of the seventh inning Misericordia had one last chance as Hollie Sarnak drew a leadoff walk. After Nicole Hoskins hit into a force out at second base, Nicole Wenner popped out to Meaghan Galvin at shortstop for the second out of the game. Caitlin Cromley then grounded out to Kayla Rutkoski at second base to end the game.
King's struck first in the game when Hoerner led off the second with a walk and moved to second when Fry's bunt was misplayed by the Cougars, giving King's runners at first and second with no out. After Samantha Hornberger walked to load the bases, Kayla Rutkoski came through with a RBI single to plate Hoerner. King's took a 3-0 lead when Fry and Hornberger scored on the next play when the Cougars committed a throwing error attempting to turn a double play.
In the third inning for Misericordia, Maria Kidron drew a one-out walk before Hollie Sarnak doubled, advancing Kidron to third. Hoskins then delivered a three-run home run as the Cougars tied the game at 3-3.
Misericordia struck again in the bottom of the fourth when Nicole Boccia walked to lead off the inning, followed by a bunt single by Kidron. Hoskins came through again with a two-run double to right field, giving the Cougars a 5-3 lead.
Rutkoski was 2-for-4 with an RBI while Hoerner went 1-for-3 with two runs and two RBI. Fry finished 1-for-3 with a run and a RBI.
Hoskins led Misericordia by going 2-for-5 with five RBI. Wenner and Cromley also added two hits each.
In the first championship contest King's struck first in the bottom of the opening inning when Meaghan Galvin beat out an infield single and later scored on a passed ball to give the Lady Monarchs a 1-0 lead.
Misericordia took the lead in the second inning when Nicole Wenner singled and Caitlin Cromley followed with a two-run home run over the centerfield fence to give the Cougars a 2-1 advantage.
The Cougars added to the lead in the third inning when Nicole Hoskins delivered a RBI single, Cromley was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, and Gina Urbon connected on a three-run double to give Misericordia a 5-1 lead.
King's pushed across a run in the bottom of the frame when Katie Fry reached base on an error and later scored on a RBI base hit from Rachel Zinni to cut the Cougar led to 7-2.
Misericordia, however, blew the game open with four more runs in the fourth when Hoskins stroked a RBI single and Wenner added a two-run double. Urbon drove in Wenner from third base on a fielder's choice to push the lead to 11-2,
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Meaghan Galvin led off with a walk and Gretchen Tholen and Kaitlyn Siegfried both singled to load the bases. After Annie Erndl drew a walk to force in a run, Christie Parfitt brought home another run on a fielder's choice to cut the lead to 11-4. Fry followed with a RBI double and Samantha Hornberger lofted a sacrifice fly to bring home Parfitt, narrowing the margin to 11-6.
King's added three more runs in the fifth following two Misericordia errors, a bases loaded walk to Annie Erndl, and a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded by Fry to cut the lead to 11-9.
The Cougars, however, responded with Hoskins hitting a leadoff solo home run in the top of the sixth to push the lead to 12-9. Cromley singled with one out and moved to third when Kat LaBrie doubled. Cromley then scored on a King's error to up the Cougar advantage to 13-9.
In the seventh inning, Maria Kidron led off with a single, followed by a base hit from Hollie Sarnak. Cromley then delivered a RBI single to bring the final score to 14-9.
For Misericordia, Cromley was 4-for-4 with four RBI while Hoskins finished 3-for-5 with three RBI. Wenner was 3-for-5 with two RBI while Sarnak was also 3-for-5.
For King's in game-two, Fry went 2-for-3 with two RBI while Galvin and Zinni were also 2-for-3.
King's will now await word on who and where it will play in the NCAA Tournament, expected to be announced on Monday.
