Amanda Cardone
Bob Ziadie
Amanda Cardone had four hits, including two home runs in the opener as King's softball swept FDU

King's Softball Sweeps FDU, Moves into 1st Place Freedom Tie with DeSales

4/20/2013 7:21:00 PM

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

APRIL 20, 2013

KING'S SOFTBALL SWEEPS FDU, MOVES INTO FIRST-PLACE TIE WITH CONFERENCE FOE DESALES

MADISON, NJ -- Junior catcher Amanda Cardone went a combined 4-for-5 with two home runs and five RBI to power the King's College softball team to an important Freedom Conference doubleheader sweep of host FDU-Florham Saturday in Madison, NJ.

With the win, King's improved to 23-5 overall and 11-1 in league play. The Lady Monarchs moved into a first-place tie with DeSales as the Bulldogs dropped their first conference game of the year with a split at Manhattanville. FDU, meanwhile, slipped to 17-15 and 8-6 in league play.

In the opener King's took a 2-0 lead in its first at-bats when Jenn Harnischfeger walked and Cardone drilled a two-run home run. FDU scored a run in the bottom of the first, then added another in the fifth to tie the game at 2-2. After each team score two runs apiece in the sixth inning to remain tied at 4-4, Cardone led off the seventh with solo home run, her second of the game to give the Lady Monarchs a 5-4 lead. After singles by Tina Seber and Kayla Rutkoski, Nicolette Pizzo stroked a two-run double to bring the score to 7-4. From there King's starting pitcher Karissa Kross shut the door, retiring the side to end the game.

Cardone was 2-for-3 with three RBI while Pizzo finished 2-for-4 with two RBI. Seber went 2-for-2 with a run to help pace King's in the opener. Kross (6-1) scattered eight hits and allowed only one earned run while striking out two batters in seven complete innings.

In the second game, King's trailed 2-1 after five innings but the Lady Monarchs blew the game open with eight runs in the sixth.

A RBI double by Cardone, a two-run home run by Maggie Gola, and a two-run Erin Beane single were joined by a pair of baseses-loaded walks to Katie Kowalski and Jenn Harnischfeger as the Lady Monarchs built a 9-2 advantage after six innings.

King's added two more runs in the seventh when Tina Seber and Gola drew back-to-back walks to start the inning. Amy Kowalczyk would later drive in Seber from third on a fielder's choice before Shelby Eby brought in Gola from third on an infield ground out.

Cardone finished 2-for-2 with a run and two RBI while Beane was 2-for-4 with a run and two RBI. Gola was 2-for-3 with two runs and a two-run home run while Harnischfeger went 2-for-4 with a RBI and scored two runs. Brittany Haight (6-1) picked up the pitching victory, scattering 11 hits while allowing one earned run with three strikeouts.

King's returns to the field Thursday when the Lady Monarchs host Centenary College at 3:00 p.m. in the Betzler Athletic Complex.
Print Friendly Version