DALLAS, PA (April 18, 2021) -- The King's College baseball team nearly pulled off the biggest comeback of the 2021 baseball season on Sunday afternoon falling to the host Misericordia University Cougars 10-7 at Tambur Field in game two of a doubleheader. The Monarchs lost the opener 6-1.

In the opener King's struggle to get many hits against Cougar starter David McCurry. The Monarchs hit the ball hard but right at MU fielders. Andrew Steidle had two of KC's three hits. Seth Laky had the third hit for King's. Misericordia scored twice in the first, once in the second, and twice more in the third to build a 5-0 lead for McCurry on the hill. Steidle led off the sixth with a triple to center and then scored when Matt Bound grounded out to short. The Cougars responded with a run of their own in the bottom half to set the final score.

Jacob Lupas got the start on the mound and allowed three runs, two earned on four hits before being relieved by Brandon Moffitt. Moffitt allowed three runs on four hits in 4.1 innings.

Game two wasn't going too well for the Monarchs as Misericordia built a 9-0 lead over the first four innings. The Cougars scored once in the second and then four times in each of the third and fourth innings. Meanwhile KC was getting runners on base but had yet to put a string of hits together to score any runs against Isaac Snyder.

The Cougars made a call to the pen to begin the sixth inning and King's jumped all over the new pitcher in Tommy Tracey. Pat Noone ripped the second pitch he saw for a single to left, Chris Burke tripled to the gap in right center and two batters later Will Hronich singled to left to score Burke. Brendan Mozelski doubled putting runners at second and third for Steidle. The Cougars brought in Matthew Lanzendorfer to face Steidle who hit a ball back to the pitcher to score the third run of the inning for the Monarchs.

King's added another three runs in the eighth first loading the bases with one out on a Matt Mellinger double, Hronich walk, and a Mozeleski single. Steidle once again came up with a big hit doubling to right scoring two runs. Cole Heitzman had a pinch hit ground out to third scoring Mozeleski as KC closed the score to 9-6. MU scored an insurance run in the bottom of the inning.

In the ninth Chase Yochem drew a walk to lead things off and then advanced to second on a wild pitch. Noone singled to left and then Burke singled up the middle scoring Yochem. The Cougars then brought in their closer, Tyler Leonard. Mellinger loaded the bases with a single to left before Leonard was able to escape with a strike out and double play to end the game.

Burke had a monster game going 3-5 with two RBI and one run scored. Mozeleski also had a huge game going 3-4 with a run scored. Noone and Mellinger had two hits apiece as the Monarchs racked up 14 as a team. Steidle knocked in three runs while Hronich scored twice off the bench. Landon LaBar and James DeNara pitched great in relief of Brennen Schneider. LaBar allowed just one run on four hits facing seven batters in 1.1 innings. DeNara pitched the final three innings and allowed just one run on one hit with one walk and a strikeout facing one batter over the minimum.

The Monarchs will be back in action on Wednesday when they face conference-leading DeSales University in Center Valley. First pitch of the single game will be at 6:00 pm from Weiland Park.