APRIL 21, 2013

KING'S BASEBALL DROPS TWO NARROW LOSSES TO FDU

?WILKES-BARRE -- The King's College baseball team suffered a pair of disappointing losses as the Monarchs dropped both ends of a doubleheader to visiting FDU-Florham Sunday at Betzler Fields.

FDU won the first game 5-3 in 11 innings before taking the nightcap 4-3. With the losses, King's slipped to 16-13 overall and 6-12 in Freedom Conference play while FDU improved to 14-17 and 10-8 in league competition

In the opener, the Monarchs trailed 3-2 before scoring a run in the bottom of the seventh to send the game to extra innings. Jared Turner led off the inning with a double and an infield out allowed pinch runner Kris Carr to advance to third. With two out, King's was given new life when an FDU fielding error brought home Carr with the tying run, sending the game to extra innings.

The game remained deadlocked at 3-3 until the 11th when Brandon Adams drew a one-out walk before Austin Tomaszewicz followed up with a RBI double to give the Devils a 3-2 lead. Tomaszewicz would later score on a two-out error to push the score to 4-2.

In the bottom of the 11th, King's placed two runners on base but the game ended on a double-play to give FDU the opener.

King's managed just six hits in the opener, led by Turner who was 2-for-3 and Anthony Lizzi who added a two-run single. Brenton Eades (7-2) took the loss in relief of starter Ryan Gimbi, tossing the final four innings and allowing two runs, one earned, with two strikeouts.

In the second game, took a 1-0 first inning lead when Rob Lemoncelli singles and later scored form third on a fielder's choice.

After FDU built a 4-1 lead, King's scored a run in the fifth inning, the Monarchs added a run in the bottom of the frame when Joe Zito was hit by a pitch, stole second, and touched home following a RBI single from Lemoncelli. to trim the score to 4-2.

King's cut the lead to 4-3 in the sixth when Chris Sweeney singled and eventually scored from third-base on a sacrifice fly by Eric Bohem.

In the seventh and final inning, Lemoncelli reached first-base on a fielder's choice and Brian Mikus was hit by a pitch. After Sweeney walked to load the bases with two out, pinch hitter Richie Acierno flied out to right field to end the game.

Lemoncelli topped King's with a 2-for-4 effort and made a number of dazzling defensive plays from his shortstop position. Sweeney, Lizzi, Bohem, and Mikus all had one hit each. Pat Matthews (1-2) took the pitching loss, allowing three earned runs on six hits in four innings of work.

King's returns to action Thursday with a 2:00 home doubleheader against Penn State Schuylkill.