WILKES-BARRE, PA (March 21, 2021) -- Colby Toth earned his first win of the year to lead the King's College baseball team to a doubleheader split with visiting Delaware Valley University on Sunday afternoon at Lipo Field.

The Monarchs won the opener 9-1 behind Toth's excellent pitching performance and a ninth inning rally fell just short in a 6-3 game two loss. Toth pitched six innings and allowed just one run on seven hits with three strikeouts and no walks. It wasn't a perfect afternoon for Toth on the hill but he did get the big out when he needed to as the Aggies put the leadoff batter on in four of his six innings and only scored in the first.

Timmy Lallis led off the game with a double to right and then scored on back-to-back fly balls to the outfield. King's struck back in the second inning with a pair of runs and winded up scoring in every inning except the first. Noah Adams and Brendan Mozeleski began the second inning with singles. Andrew Steidle knocked them both in with a two-out single to right giving the Monarchs the lead.

The Monarchs increased the lead to 5-1 in the third as Mozeleski drove in Cole Heiztman and two batters later Matt Bound singled to left scoring Noah Adams and Mozeleski. In the fourth Pat Noone and Matt Mellinger hit singles to begin the inning before Will McIntsoh and Adams hit back-to-back doubles to give the Monarchs a 7-1 lead. Mellinger made it a seven-run advantage in the fifth with a two-out double scoring Bound from first. The final run came in the sixth as Mozeleski knocked in Will Hronich.

Mozeleski finished with two hits, two runs, and two RBI while Adams led the team with three hits. He also scored twice and knocked in a run. McIntosh and Mellinger also recorded a multi-hit game for the Monarchs with two each. Liam Hughes pitched the seventh inning and allowed just one hit in relief of Toth.

In game two the Aggies scored two runs in the first to take a 2-0 lead. It looked like they made it 3-0 on a sac fly to right with one out but the Monarchs appealed to third saying the runner left early and the umpire agreed ending the inning with just two runs scored. In the bottom of the inning KC got a run back on a Steidle leadoff walk, a Mellinger double, and then a sac fly to left by Heitzman.

Del Val increased their lead to 4-1 in the third scoring a run on a wild pitch and then a second run on a two-out single through the left side. The score remained the same until the sixth as Mozeleski entered the game in relief of Monarch starter and pitched excellent keeping the Aggies batters at bay. The Monarchs also got stellar defense from Paul Helman behind the plate. Helman threw out two runners trying to steal and picked another runner off to end third inning throwing behind him at second.

In the sixth Heitzman singled, stole second, and then scored on a Adams double to cut the lead in half. The Monarchs put two runners on in the sixth and seventh inning but were unable to score any more runs as the game entered the eighth inning. The Aggies scored a pair of insurance runs in the eighth on a bases loaded single and a wild pitch. James DeNara was able to get out of the jam with no more runs across.

In the bottom of the inning, KC put together a nice two-out rally as Helman walked, Brennen Scheider and Bound singled to load the bases, and then Steidle walked in a run. DVU was able to get out of the inning before anymore runs were scored as KC entered the ninth down three.

The Monarchs loaded the bases in the ninth as Mellinger walked, Heiztman reached on an error, and McIntosh was hit by a pitch. After a pitching change the Aggies were able to get out of the jam with no runs scored on a strikeout and double play up the middle.

Seven different Monarchs recorded a hit in the nightcap while Steidle walked three times. Mozeleski threw 4.2 innings of excellent relief with five strikeouts. He allowed just two runs on six hits and one walk. DeNara pitched the final 1.2 innings and gave up just one hit and one walk with one strikeout.

The Monarchs will be back in action next Saturday when they begin their four-game series with first-place DeSales. The Bulldogs are 7-1 after sweeping FDU-Florham this weekend and winning three of four from Misericordia last weekend. Game one will begin at 12 pm from Lipo Field on Saturday with the game two to start 30 minutes after the end of the first game.