APRIL 2, 2013

KING'S SOFTBALL SWEEPS ONEONTA, GOLA THREE-RUN HOME RUN IN NIGHTCAP HELPS SEAL SWEEP

WILKES-BARRE -- Maggie Gola drilled what proved to be a game-winning three-run home run over the centerfield fence in the bottom of the sixth inning as the King's College softball team rallied from a 1-0 deficit for a 3-1 victory to secure a doubleheader sweep of visiting Oneonta State University Tuesday in the Betzler Athletic Complex. King's also won the opener 10-5.

With the wins, the Lady Monarchs improved to 16-2 on the year while Oneonta slipped to 3-11.

With King's trailing 1-0 in the sixth inning of the second game, Erin Beane reached base on a one-out error and Amanda Cardone singled up the middle. After a strikeout gave King's its second out of the inning, Gola came to the plate and drilled a towering shot 15 feet beyond the 225 centerfield fence to put King's ahead 3-1. It was the freshman slugger's eighth home run of the year.

After Oneonta loaded the bases in the top of the seventh inning, King's relief pitcher Brittany Haight registered the final three outs as the Lady Monarchs held on for the victory. Lady Monarch starter Rachel Linso (2-0) was the winner, allowing one earned run on seven hits with one strikeout.

Kayla Rutkoski and Amy Kowalczyk topped King's with two hits each while Gola finished 1-for-3 with three RBI.

In the opener, King's trailed 2-1 after three innings but broke the game open with five runs in the fourth and four more in the sixth to secure the victory. Tina Seber was 3-for-4 with a two-run double while Jenn Harnischfeger finished 3-for-4 with a double and two runs. Kowalczyk added a triple and two RBI while and Katie Kowalski contributed with a two-run double.

Cardone, Gola, and Rutkoski each delivered run-scoring singles in the game. Annie Erndl (3-2) was the winning pitcher, scattering 11 hits and yielding five runs in six and one-third innings.

King's will host Wilkes Thursday in an important Freedom Conference doubleheader set for 3:00 p.m. in the Betzler Complex