SCRANTON, PA (April 25, 2022) -- The King's College softball team dropped a pair of non-conference contests on Monday afternoon as they fell 7-1 in game one and 5-2 in game two at the University of Scranton. The Monarchs drop to 18-9 overall, while the Royals improve to 21-10.

Game 1 - L, 1-7:
Scranton's offense came out firing in the first game of the doubleheader, plating a run in the first on two hits before adding three more runs in the second to take the early 4-0 lead over the Monarchs. The Royals scored a single run in each of the third, fifth, and sixth innings to hold a 7-0 advantage before King's (18-9) made one final effort to put some runs on the board in the top of the seventh.

Sophomore Molly Gillette got on with a one-out single to center field before advancing to second thanks to an at-bat from junior Gabrielle Visconti. Graduate student Morgan Briggs drove in Gillette with a two-out RBI single to right center before the Royals defense put a stop to the comeback and handed the Monarchs the 7-1 loss.

Briggs led King's with a 2-for-3 effort at the plate, while junior Olivia Krupski recorded a double. Sophomore Brandi McIntosh posted the loss in the complete game, allowing six earned runs and striking out three in 6.0 innings.

The Royals were led by three players with two hits each, while Heather Alich drove in a team-high three RBIs. Jennifer Sweeney earned the win in all 7.0 innings, giving up one earned run on four hits.

Game 2 - L, 2-5:
A slower start in game two saw just one hit recorded over the first two and a half innings before Scranton (21-10) struck first with a four-run third inning and added another tally in the fifth to hold the 5-0 advantage over the Monarchs.

King's got on the scoreboard in the sixth as junior Bailey Loyack got on with a one-out double to left center and first year Victoria Holena advanced Loyack to third. After Visconti worked a two-out walk, first year Harley Sullivan singled down the left-field line to put the Monarchs within 5-1 of the Royals.

The Monarchs had one last fight in them as they added another run in the seventh. Sophomore Kiersten Krouse hit a one-out single to the pitcher. A head's-up defensive play by the Royals erased Krouse as senior Lindsey Leppo reached on a fielder's choice before Loyack delivered again with a two-out triple off the fence in left center to drive in Leppo. The efforts fell just shot as King's fell, 5-2 in the second game of the non-conference doubleheader.

Loyack and Sullivan each recorded two hits and an RBI in the loss. First year Emily Novicki broke a five-game win streak with the loss, allowing five earned runs on seven hits while striking out three.

Heather Alich led the Royals again as she went 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI. Emma Triollo earned the win in 5.2 innings of work, giving up an earned run on four hits, while Jennifer Sweeney earned the save in the final 1.1 innings.

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The Monarchs are back on the diamond on Wednesday afternoon as they make the short trip up the mountain to take on Misericordia University. The MAC Freedom doubleheader is set for a 3:00 p.m. start in  Dallas, Pa.