WILKES-BARRE, PA (March 1, 2019) – The King's College softball team will commence the 2019 season Sunday when the Monarchs travel to Myrtle Beach, SC to compete in the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic.

King's looks to build on a record 19 consecutive MAC Freedom Conference Tournament appearances with head coach Lisa Gigliello leading the pack in her 26^th year. Gigliello has led King's to 10 Freedom Conference titles in her career, collected her 600^th career win last season and enters the 2019 season with a 621-322-2 record. King's finished second in 2018 tournament for the second year in a row. The Monarchs return 10 players and add seven fresh faces to the roster.
 
Topping the list of veterans is this year's only senior on the team, catcher Monica Burda. Burda finished last season with a .154 batting average and a .951 fielding percentage starting all nine games she appeared in and collected two RBI's. She added 34 putouts last spring giving her 80 in total since 2016.
 
Juniors Andria Narisi, Taylor Norris, Kris Kocher and Mackenzie Yori also grace the diamond for another year.
 
After her first season playing for Gigliello, Yori earned an All-Mac Freedom Second Team selection as an infielder. She started 40 of the 43 games she appeared in and recorded a .327 batting average, a .386 slugging percentage, a .417 on-base percentage as well as a .957 fielding percentage. The dual-sport standout had 33 hits including six doubles for 23 runs scored, nine RBI and was successful on 17 of 19 stolen base attempts while clinching 78 putouts and 78 assists.
 
Kocher is also back as pitcher after starting 15 out of her 19 games last season. She posted seven wins and five losses with one save with a 4.71 earned run average in 74.1 innings pitched including two shutouts and six complete games making her one of the team's top pitchers. This dominating junior also recorded a .500 batting average, a .500 slugging percentage and a .500 on-base percentage. The junior also performs as a defensive player recording a 1.000 fielding percentage with four putouts and 12 assists.
 
Returning sophomores include pitcher Nicole Kirse, utility player Gabriella Medina, infielders Gabby Leary, Mindina Lieback and in the outfield Gena Williams.
 
Joining Kocher as a top performer in the circle is Kirse. The sophomore started 11 games out of the 17 she appeared in as a freshman recording a 7-7 record and just a 3.4 ERA. Kirse pitched ten complete games with one shutout allowing only a .273 opposing batting average against the 359 at bats she faced in 88.1 innings. The rookie went 1-1 in the MAC Championship games and pitched the entire game against Misericordia University to propel the team into the championship series.

Medina was a key defensive player primarily sticking at catcher last season. She contributed 58 putouts and six assists on 64 chances for a 1.000 fielding percentage. She also started 22 of the 24 games she appeared in as a freshman and posted two runs on six hits and four RBI.
 
King's also welcomes seven arrivals hoping to make an impact for the Monarchs. The crop of fresh faces is led by junior infielder Meghan Padden and sophomore outfielder Danielle Runo.

Five freshmen also link the roster and prepare to make some noise. They include infielders Lindsey Leppo and Kristi Ann Skok, outfielder Alyssa Stetler, catcher Marisa Mauro and pitcher Gianna Marsico.

King's will open its season Sunday in Myrtle Beach with games against Ferrum College and Eastern Mennonite University. On Monday, the Monarchs face Gwynedd Mercy University and Grove City College. On Tuesday King's meets Penn State Abington and EMU again while on Wednesday the Monarchs close out their Spring Break slate with games against Wesley College and Chatham University.

King's Myrtle Beach games will be webcast on live video, Go to King's season schedule page and click on the "watch live" link next to each game to find the appropriate link.

After returning home King's is next slated to take the field, Thursday, March 14 with a home doubleheader against Muhlenberg College. Two days later on Saturday King's opens its Freedom Conference slate with a doubleheader at DeSales University in Center Valley, PA.

GAME / VIDEO SCHEDULE
March 3 vs. Ferrum College, 1:30 PM - Field #3 - Live Video
March 3 vs. Eastern Mennonite University, 3:30 PM - Field #3 - Live Video
March 4 vs. Gwynedd Mercy University, 9:30 AM - Field #5 - Live Video
March 4 vs. Grove City College, 11:30 AM - Field #5 - Live Video
March 5 vs. Penn State Abington, 9:30 AM - Field #5 - Live Video
March 5 vs. Eastern Mennonite University, 11:30 AM - Field #6 - Live Video
March 6 vs. Wesley College, 9:30 AM - Field #5 - Live Video
March 6 vs. Chatham College, 11:30 AM - Field #6 - Live Video

Please note that there is a possibility of some games being moved to a different field and is more likely to happen with the afternoon games. If this happens we will not receive notification on it and will have to search the links to the other fields to locate the game. To do this easily when on one of the video pages, go to the URL at the top of your computer and just substitute the field number listed with another field number to see if King's is playing on that field.

For example, if the URL reads as follows: 
http://nmbpark.com/park-cameras/live-camera-baseball-field-5/

The field number would need to be changed to the field numbers of your choice - 1, 2, 3, 4, or 6 on the URL and hit ENTER on your computer