WILKES-BARRE, PA (April 18, 2021) -- In their final Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) doubleheader for the 2021 regular season, the King's College softball team posted a split with top-ranked and receiving votes Misericordia University, outlasting the Cougars 13-10 in game one before dropping the 5-1 decision in game two.

Game 1 (W, 13-10):
The matchup picked up right where they left off in game two yesterday, combining for 23 runs on 32 hits. King's had a tremendous first inning of play, plating six runs in the bottom of the first. Three straight singles from first-year Kiersten Krouse, senior Mindina Lieback, and sophomore Bailey Loyack scored the first run of the game. Junior Kristi Ann Skok worked a walk to load the bases with no outs before senior Morgan Briggs laced a two-RBI double to left field, pushing the Monarchs lead to 3-0. A one-out RBI single from sophomore Gabrielle Visconti added another run to the board, and a two-out, two-RBI single from junior Lindsey Leppo capped off the early scoring, with King's leading 6-0.

Misericordia (17-3) chipped away at the Monarchs lead, scoring two on a one-out two-RBI single to center field from Amanda Butera before a King's double play ended the top of the third inning, still maintaining the 6-2 advantage.

The Monarchs pushed their advantage again in the bottom of the third, thanks to a two-RBI triple to right center from Leppo before she used some heads-up base running to score on a wild pitch. Lieback knocked a triple of her own to right field and scored on a two-out single to right center from Skok to lead the Cougars, 10-2, after three innings of play.

The Cougars pulled within one run of the Monarchs, 10-9, in the top of the fourth as they plated seven runs on six hits, including doubles from Antonia Pacillo and Jessica Oltman. Misericordia tacked on the tying run in the top of the fifth on an RBI single from Zariah Alvin, but the Monarchs had an answer in the bottom of the inning, taking the 12-10 lead after a Krouse walk and back-to-back singles from Lieback and Skok loaded the bases for the two-out RBI single from sophomore Hannah Farr. Visconti responded in the next at bat, driving in Lieback on a single up-the-middle.

King's added the insurance run in the bottom of the sixth after Leppo led off with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Krouse, eventually scoring on an RBI single up-the-middle from Lieback. Two Cougars fly-outs to left field and a strike out from graduate student Kris Kocher secured the 13-10 win in game one of the MAC Freedom doubleheader.

Lieback exploded for a 4-for-5 effort at the plate, including a team-high three runs scored and an RBI. Skok and Briggs matched each other, both going 3-for-4, as Skok added a run and an RBI and Briggs added two RBI and a run. Also with a hot bat for the day was Leppo who went a perfect 3-for-3 with a team-high four RBIs and two runs. Kocher earned the win on the mound in relief, pitching a scoreless final three innings for the Monarchs, giving up just three hits and striking out three.

Five different Cougars posted two hits in the loss, while Maddie Holub and Nicole Elliott each scored twice. Oltman took the loss, pitching five innings in relief and giving up seven runs on 12 hits.

Game 2 (L, 1-5):
The Monarchs continued their hot hitting in game two, getting on the board first in the bottom of the opening inning for a 1-0 lead on a two-out RBI single through the left side from sophomore April Bonwit.

Misericordia took the lead in the top of the third, 2-1, as two runs crossed thanks to a two-RBI double to right field from Elliott. The Cougars added two insurance runs in the top of the fifth on a two-run home run to left field from Holub, adding the exclamation point in the top of the sixth on a sacrifice fly from Brianna Holder, earning the 5-1 win in game two.

Bonwit and Leppo both went 2-for-3 at the plate to lead the Monarchs offense, with Bonwit adding the only RBI for the Monarchs in the game. Senior Gabriella Medina, Krouse, Skok, and Farr all recorded hits in the loss.

Kocher went the distance in game two, giving up just four hits and three earned runs. The graduate student also recorded a career-high 10 strikeouts in the game, moving up to third all-time in King's College softball history for career strikeouts with 239.

Kaitlin Redling led the Cougars, going 2-for-3, including a double, for two of the Cougars four hits of the game. Emily Wenner recorded the win as Misericordia starter, pitching all seven innings and giving up just one run on eight hits.

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King's will be back in action on Tuesday, April 20 as they host Lebanon Valley College in a non-conference doubleheader in Wilkes-Barre, PA with game times set for 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. The Monarchs will host their final regular season doubleheader and celebrate senior day on Sunday, April 25 against Lycoming College with game one set for 1:00 p.m.