MARCH 30, 2011
KING'S BASEBALL OUTLASTS WILKES 4-2 IN 12 INNINGS
WILKES-BARRE -- Tim Zaccone scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the 12th inning as the King's College baseball team outlasted visiting Wilkes University in a Freedom Conference matchup Wednesday at Lipo Field.
With the win, King's improved to 6-11 overall and 2-3 in Freedom Conference play. In the process, the Monarchs snapped the Colonels eight-game winning streak as Wilkes slipped to 10-5 and 5-1 in league play.
Wilkes opened the scoring in the second inning when Tay Sidler singled and moved to second on an error. Rich Cosgrove then delivered a single as Sidler moved to third. Scott Skammer then drove Sidler home on an infield out to give the Colonels a 1-0 lead.
King's answered in the bottom half of the frame when Mike Fignar singled and moved to second on a base hit form Brenton Eades. After a sacrifice bunt by Jared Turner advanced both runners, Fignar scored on a RBI single off the bat of Rich Acierno. Eades later scored on a Wilkes error as King's took a 2-1 lead.
Wilkes knotted the game at 2-2 in the third when Matt Ruch and Angus Neary reached base on back-to-back singles. Sidler then delivered a one-out single to plate Ruch with the tying run.
King's recaptured the lead in the sixth inning when Chris Sweeney drilled a solo home run to lead off the inning as the Monarchs took a 3-2 lead.
The Colonels, however, tied the score in the eighth when Joel Watson reached base on an error. After another Monarch error allowed Watson to advance to second, Al Clocker delivered a RBI single to bring the score to 3-3.
The teams entered extra innings and, in the bottom of the 12th, the game would be decided. Tim Zaccone and Ryan Skea drew back-to-back walks to lead off the inning for the Monarchs. Both runners would then advance on a passed ball. Anthony Rey then tapped a slow ground ball to third base and Zaccone took of from third in an attempt to score. But Neary misplayed the ball, allowing Zaccone to score the winning run.
Fignar was the only King's batter with multiple hits, going 3-for-4 in the game. Ruch paced Wilkes by going 3-for-4 while Sidler and Eric Bidwell had two hits each.
Joey Troxell picked up the pitching win for the Monarchs in relief, allowing just one hit with six strikeouts in four and two-thirds inning. Angelo Trento took the loss for Wilkes in relief, allowing one unearned run on two walks and two strikeouts.
King's will next host Misericordia Friday at 3:30 p.m. in the Betzler Complex.
