NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, SC (March 7, 2022) -- An explosive six-run seventh inning in the opener was followed up by a stellar performance in the circle in game two as the King's College softball team posted a sweep on day two of the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic. The Monarchs improve to 4-0 as they defeated Gettsyburg, 14-7, in game one and Marymount, 9-5, in game two on Monday.

vs. Gettysburg - W, 14-7:
King's (3-0) struck first in the opener as sophomore Molly Gillette drove in a run in the bottom of the second to give the Monarchs the early 1-0 lead. Gettysburg (3-1) took the lead in the third, plating two runs on three hits to go ahead, 2-1, but the Monarchs responded in the bottom half of the inning as senior Lindsey Leppo laced a two-out triple to right center and was driven in by junior Bailey Loyack to tie the game, 2-2.

It was a busy fourth inning on both sides, as the Bullets started off the inning with another two runs on three hits to take the 4-2 lead. The Monarchs batted through the order in the bottom of the fourth, scoring five times on four hits. The first three batters reached safely to set up an RBI single through the left side by first year Jaeden Patson. Sophomore Kiersten Krouse drove in another run before Loyack delivered another two runs on a two-out, two-RBI single to center as King's led 7-4.

A quiet fifth inning set up another thrilling stanza in the sixth as the Bullets tied the game again, 7-7, recording three runs on two hits. The Monarchs batted through the order for the second time in this game as they posted a luscious six runs to hold a commanding 14-7 advantage. Three straight walks loaded the bases before a Gettysburg error allowed two Monarchs to cross, and an RBI single from graduate student Morgan Briggs plated two more. Gillette worked her way around to score with two outs, and two wild pitches from the Gettysburg pitchers allowed Patson and junior Olivia Krupski to cross the plate to put King's ahead, 14-7. 

Some stellar defensive plays in the top of the seventh held off any comeback efforts by the Bullets as King's posted the 14-7 final in their first game of the day.

Briggs was solid as she went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and a run, while Gillette also had a multi-hit game, going 2-fo-3 with two runs and an RBI. Leppo scored a team-best three runs, while Loyack matched Briggs for a team-high two RBIs in the win. Gillette earned the win in the circle in relief, tossing 3.0 innings of work and striking out one.

Jess Campana led Gettysburg, going 3-for-4, while Lauren O'Leary recorded a triple and a home run in the loss. Ella Meyer earned the loss in the circle, allowing two runs in relief.

vs. Marymount - W, 9-5:
A fast-paced start to game two saw Marymount (4-4) take an early 3-0 lead, but the Monarchs offense stayed hot as they responded to score four runs in the bottom half of the inning. Sophomore Kiersten Krouse led off with a single and worked her way around to score on the attempt to pick off junior Gabrielle Visconti while stealing second. A Briggs single to center drove in Visconti before an RBI double from first year Harley Sullivan allowed Briggs to score. King's (4-0) would tack on one more as first year Victoria Holena drove in Sullivan as King's took the 4-3 advantage.

Three straight strikeouts in the top of the second set up the Monarchs to score two more thanks to a sacrifice fly from Briggs and a Saints error as King's led, 6-3, after two innings of play.

Marymount would rally in the third to score twice on three hits to close within one, 6-5, but a double from Leppo and a single through the left side from Visconti plated two in the bottom of the inning to increase the led to 8-5.

King's would score once more in the bottom of the fourth as Sullivan reached safely on a Saints error and worked her way around the base path before sophomore Sydney Bachman rocketed a one-out double to left field to give the Monarchs the comfortable 9-5 advantage.

The Monarchs defensive efforts were stellar in the final three innings to hold off any last-stitch comeback efforts by Marymount to post the 9-5 final in game two on Monday night.

Sophomore Brandi McIntosh recorded a career-high 11 strikeouts in the win, going the distance as the starter and recording zero earned runs on six hits. Leppo, Visconti, and Bachman led the offense with two hits each, while Briggs drove in a team-high two RBIs. Leppo, Visconti, and Sullivan also accounted for six of the Monarchs nine runs in the win.

Samantha Cinotti and Elizabeth Corcoran posted two hits each in the loss for Marymount, while Morgan Hunt was awarded the loss in the complete six-inning game as she allowed nine runs, four earned, on nine hits.

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King's will be back in the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic tomorrow afternoon as they face Penn College in a doubleheader with game times set for 1:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. at the Central Park Sports Complex.