KING'S BASEBALL FALLS IN FREEDOM CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT OPENER AGAINST MISERICORDIA, 13-4
QUAKERTOWN, PA -- Top seed Misericordia University scored at least one run in seven of eight innings, using 16 hits to post a 13-4 win over fourth-seeded King's College in the 2011 Freedom Conference Baseball Tournament Friday afternoon at Memorial Park in Quakertown, Pa.
Misericordia moves to 24-12 following the win and will play the winner of game two Saturday at 3:00 p.m. King's falls to 16-18-1 on the year and plays the loser of game two between #2 DeSales and #3 FDU-Florham Saturday at 11:00 a.m.
King's took an early 1-0 lead when Chris Sweeney belted his school record 11th home run of the season over the left field fence in the Monarchs' first at-bats. King's added another run in the top of the second to push the lead to 2-0. Brenton Eades began the inning with a walk and advanced to second on a Rich Acierno ground out. Eades would later score when Matt Pritchard doubled to left centerfield.
The regular season champ Cougars put together a four-run second to take a 4-2 lead after two. Misericordia used five hits, including a two-run double from Adam Gonzalez, to take their first and only lead of the contest. The Cougars added two more runs in the bottom of the third when Nate Newman connected on a two-run homer.
The Misericordia bats would continue to stay hot over the next five innings of play as the Cougars posted runs in every inning but the first. One run each over the fourth and fifth frames extended the lead to 10-2.
The Monarchs tried to climb back into it with two runs in the fifth. Sweeney connected on his second long ball of the game and 12th of the season, this time of the two-run variety, to cut the deficit to 10-4.
Misericordia added two more insurance runs in the sixth followed by three runs combined in the seventh and eighth to seal the 13-4 opening day win.
Sweeney finished 3-for-4 with two home runs and three RBI on the afternoon. Pritchard went 2-for-4 with one RBI. Anthony Re, Rob Lemoncelli, and Eades each added a hit.
Joey Troxell started and went six innings allowing 14 hits and 10 runs while striking out three Cougar batters. Joe Dorbad entered in relief going two innings allowing two hits and three runs.
For Misericordia, Patrick Clark went the distance scattering 10 hits and four runs striking out two Monarchs.
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Friday, May 6, 2011
Game 1: #1 Misericordia 13, #4 King's 4
Game 2: #2 DeSales vs. #3 FDU-Florham, 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, May 7
Game #3 - King's vs. Loser Game #2, 11:00 am
Game #4 - Misericordia vs. Winner Game #2, 3:00 pm
Game #5 - Winner Game #3 vs. Loser Game #4, 7:00 pm
Sunday, May 8
Game #6 - Winner Game #4 vs. Winner Game #5, 12:00 pm
Game #7 - If necessary, 3:00 pm
*Playoff Champion receives MAC Freedom's automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament
