AUBURNDALE, FL (March 7, 2022) -- In two closely contested and well-fought games on Monday morning, the King's College baseball team swept Martin Luther College, 10-5 in game one and 7-5 in game two, to earn their first two wins of the 2022 season. King's improves to 2-1 overall while Martin Luther falls to 0-8.

Game 1 - W, 10-5:
King's (1-1) plated the first run of the game in the top of the first thanks to an RBI single from sophomore Chase Yochem. Martin Luther (0-7) tallied three runs in response in the bottom of the second thanks to two hits from the Knights as the Monarchs trailed, 3-1.

The Monarchs exploded offensively in the next half an inning, scoring six runs on six hits. Senior Andrew Steidle got their offense rolling with a leadoff single before advancing to third on a one-out double from junior Brandon Loner. A wild pitch scored Steidle before a double from senior Seth Laky plated Loner to tie the game, 3-3. First year Zach Day worked a walk in the next at bat, then an RBI single from junior John Barry got the two-out rally going as he drove in Laky. A pair of singles from sophomores Gregory Ahlstrom and Joshua Baiera drove in three more to give King's the solid 7-3 lead after three innings of play.

The teams traded two runs each in the fourth inning as Day drove in two on an RBI double while Martin Luther scored two on three hits with the Monarchs ahead, 9-5. King's would score the final run of the game in the top of the fifth as Ahlstrom got on with one out and was driven in on a two-out triple by Steidle. The Monarchs defense took care of business down the stretch as they allowed just one hit in the final three innings to post their first win of the 2022 season, 10-5, over Martin Luther in game one.

Steidle led the Monarchs, going 3-for-5 with two runs and an RBI. Loner also had a multi-hit game for King's with two and scoring twice, while Day drove in a team-high two runs. Ahlstrom scored a team-high tying two runs in the win and stole a base in the win. Senior James DeNara secured the win in his season debut, pitching the complete seven-inning game, giving up five runs on six hits and striking out six.

Martin Luther was led by Mason Cox and Elijah Henning with two hits each, while the Knights' starter Michael Fromm recorded the loss in five innings of work, allowing 10 runs on 11 hits.

Game 2 - W, 7-5:
Martin Luther (0-8) struck first as the away team on the scoreboard in game two on a one-out, two-RBI single. King's (2-1) matched the effort in the bottom of the inning, tying the game with two runs on two hits. Back-to-back walks from Steidle and Yochem set up a two-RBI double from Loner as the score was all tied up just one inning into the game.

The Monarchs took the lead in the bottom of the second after junior Pat Noone was hit by a pitch and senior Matt Bound walked, with both runners working their way around the bases to set up a two-RBI single from Steidle as King's led, 4-2.

The Knights tied things up in the top of the third on a one-out, two-RBI single as the Monarchs defense held off any extra runs with some solid defense to end the inning. The next two innings saw just one hit in the pitcher's duel and thanks to some great defensive plays by both teams.

Martin Luther regained the lead in the top of the sixth, but the Monarchs had an answer as three runs scored on three hits. Noone worked a one-out walk and stole second before he was driven in by a single from Bound. A Steidle double scored Bound, and a Yochem single allowed Steidle to cross safely as King's took a 7-5 advantage. The defense finished the job as they forced a three-and-out from the Knights to earn the 7-5 win in game two and the doubleheader sweep over Martin Luther on Sunday morning in Florida.

Steidle, Yochem, and Laky all posted two hits in the win, while Steidle added team-highs of three RBIs and two runs. Loner added two RBIs of his own, while Noone and Bound each crossed the plate twice. Day earned his first collegiate win as the starter for the Monarchs, throwing for 4.1 innings, allowing four runs on just seven hits, and striking out eight.

Cox and Reagan Moore led Martin Luther with two hits each, while Jonas Lindeman earned the loss in relief for the Knights, totaling 3.1 innings of work and giving up three earned runs on six Monarch hits.

--

The Monarchs are back in action tomorrow morning as they take on Trine University in a nine-inning contest at the Chain O'Lakes Complex in Winter Haven, FL with first pitch set for 10:30 a.m.