Brittany Haight
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Brittany Haight led King's to a win over Misericordia to send King's to the Freedom title game, but the Monarchs fell to Manhattanville 7-4

King's Softball Falls to Manhattanville 7-4 in Freedom Conference Title Game After Three-Run 6th Inning

5/3/2014 3:42:00 PM

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2  
MAY 3, 2014

KING'S FALLS TO MANHATTANVILLE IN FREEDOM CONFERENCE TITLE GAME

DOYLESTOWN -- Top-seeded Manhattanville College broke open a 4-4 game with three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning as the Valiants posted a 7-4 victory over second-seeded King's College in the Freedom Conference championship game Saturday at Delaware Valley College.  King's reached the final with a 6-1 victory over Misericordia in the previous round.

In the championship game against Manhattanville, the Valiants took a 1-0 lead with a run in the first inning when Rosario Callara singled and scored on a double by Dolores Diemicke.

King's scored two in the top-of-the-first inning when Maggie Gola led off with a walk and moved to second on a another walk to Amy Kowalczyk. Nicolette Pizzo bunted and an error on the play allowed Gola to score from second base as Kowalczyk moved to third. Shelby Eby then drove in Kowalczyk with an infield grounder to give the Monarchs a 2-1 lead. 

In the third inning Erin Beane nearly hit a home run but the shot caromed off the left field fence and back onto the field, limiting her to a double. But Amanda Cardone came through with a single to center to plate Beane and give King's a 3-1 lead.

In the bottom of the third, Manhatttanville loaded the bases with two out and King's caught a break Kirsten Savage hit a long fly ball deep to center field. But Beane made the catch high up on the fence for the final out.

Manhattanville would tie the game at 3-3 with two runs in the fourth. Brittany Deiseo scored from third on a wild pitch and Shauna Mulkerin scored from second on a RBI single from Alyx Scapperotti.

King's Jenn Harnischfeger led off the fifth with a walk and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Beane. But with two out Gola drilled a shot near the right field fence and Deiso made a spectacular diving catch facing the fence to rob Gola of a RBI extra-base hit.
In the bottom of the inning Doloroes Diemicke drew a leadoff walk and Alyssa Taylor singled to give the Valiants runners at first and second with no one out. After a wild pitch advanced runners to second and third, Manhattanville took a 4-3 lead when Diemicke scored on an infield ground out. 

King's responded in the sixth inning when Nicolette Pizzo reached base on an infield single and moved to second on a subsequent throwing error on the play.  After Pizzo moved to third on an infield out, Alley then delivered a clutch RBI single to tie the game at 4-4.
Manhattanville, however, pushed across three runs in a decisive bottom of the sixth inning to take a 7-4 lead. Diemicke came through with a RBI double, followed by a two-run single by Taylor. 

In King's final at-bat in the top of the seventh, Harnischfeger led off with a single but on the next play Beane grounded into a double play. On the next play Cardone grounded out to third to end the game as the Valiants held on for their first-ever Freedom Conference title and an automatic berth into the NCAA Division III National Tournament.

King's managed just six hits in the game, doubles by Beane and Gola and singles from Harnischfeger, Beane, Cardone, and Alley each had one single.  Rachel Linso took the loss in relief for King's, pitching the final two innings and allowing three earned runs on five hits. Karissa Kross was the starter for King's and went four innings, allowing four earned runs on six hits. 

Taylor, who was named the tournament most valuable player, went 3-for-4 with two RBI at the plate and picked up a complete-game victory, allowing four runs, one which was earned, with five strikeouts.

In the win over Misericordia, senior pitcher Brittany Haight (9-0) tossed a complete-game five-hitter. Cardone gave King's a 1-0 lead with a two-out solo home run in the bottom of the first inning.

King's missed out on a scoring chance in the third inning when Cardone walked and Gola doubled. On the play Cardone was interfered with by a Misericordia fielder who hindered her path to third-base. But rather than stop at third base Cardone attempted to score and was thrown out at the plate. The game umpire ruled that the interference would only allow Cardone to be safe at third base, but not in an attempt to advance an additional base.

Kowalczyk singled and moved to second on a bunt by Nicolette Pizzo. From there Shelby Eby stroked a RBI single to centerfield to bring home Kowalczyk and give King's a 2-0 lead.  Eby, who advanced to second on the previous play at home, moved to third on a wild pitch issued on a walk to Lisa Alley to give the Monarchs runners at first and third. Jenn Harnischfeger then drew a walk to load the bases. From there Erin Beane drilled a three run double to centerfield, giving the Monarchs a 5-0 advantage. After Cardone drew a walk

In the fifth, Kowalczyk led off with a double and would later score from third on an infield single by Eby to up the lead to 6-0.

In the seventh Sam Hare led off for Misericordia with a single and Andi Veneziale followed with a double.  Melissa Parker then grounded to short and Harnishfeger threw out Hare at home to keep a run off the board. Mackenzie Yurko then lofted a sacrifice fly to bring the Cougars within 6-1. With two out, Diana Kestenbaum flied out to centerfield to end the game.

Cardone was 2-for-2 with a home run while Eby finished 2-for-3 with two RBI.  Beane was 2-for-4 with three RBI while Kowalczyk was also 2-for-3.

Hare led the Misericordia with a 2-for-3 showing and was the only multiple hitter for the Cougars.
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