DALLAS, PA (April 27, 2022) -- A walk-off home run from the Cougars in the bottom of the seventh handed the King's College softball team losses of 7-1 and 5-4 in the MAC Freedom doubleheader at Misericordia University on Wednesday afternoon. The Monarchs drop to 18-11 overall and 9-5 in the MAC Freedom standings, while the Cougars improve to 24-7 with a 13-1 conference mark.

Game 1 - L, 1-7:
Misericordia (24-7, 13-1 MAC Freedom) got the offense stated in the opener, plating two runs each of the first, second, and fourth innings to go up 6-0 over the Monarchs.
King's (18-11, 9-5 MAC Freedom) got one back in the fifth as graduate student Morgan Briggs led off with a single to left field before pinch runner Celeste Potigiani advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from junior Olivia Krupski. A two-out RBI single to right center from sophomore Kiersten Krouse drove in Portigiani as the Monarchs closed within 6-1.

The Cougars plated an insurance run in the sixth before posting the 7-1 final in the first game of the MAC Freedom doubleheader.

Krouse and Briggs each totaled two hits in the loss to lead King's, while senior Lindsey Leppo and junior Hannah Farr also added hits. Sophomore Brandi McIntosh recorded the loss in 6.0 innings of work, allowing seven earned runs.

Kaitlin Redling led the Cougars as she went 3-for-4 with three RBIs and a run. Alexa McHugh was awarded the win in the complete seven-inning game, giving up an earned run on six hits.

Game 2 - L, 4-5:
King's flipped the switch in game two as they scored first in the opening stanza. Krouse led off with a single and advanced to second during Leppo's at bat before scoring on a Cougar's error to put the Monarchs ahead, 1-0.

The Monarchs then plated two more runs in the third as Krouse hit a one-out single through the left side and Leppo worked a walk. This set up junior Bailey Loyack to deliver an RBI double down the left field line to drive in Krouse, while a sacrifice fly from sophomore Molly Gillette plated Leppo to give King's the 3-0 lead after three innings.

Misericordia responded with a run in the third and another in the fifth to close within one, 3-2. The Monarchs added an insurance run in the top of the seventh as Farr led off with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Krouse. A double down the left field line from Leppo advanced Farr to third before Loyack drove in the fellow-junior to see the Monarchs hold the 4-2 advantage just three outs away from the win.

The Cougars put two runners on with no outs on back-to-back singles to set up the three-run game-winning home run from Nicole Elliott as Misericordia earned the 5-4 walk off win and sweep the Monarchs in the MAC Freedom series.

Krouse paced the King's offense again with a 2-for-3 effort, scoring twice, while Loyack drove in a team-high two runs. Novicki posted the loss in 6.0 innings, allowing five earned runs on six hits while striking out two.

Six different Cougars recorded hits in the win, while Elliott drove in a team-high three runs while scoring three herself. Miranda Bohn earned the win in the complete-seven inning game, allowing three earned runs on seven hits.

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King's will host Delaware Valley University on Saturday, April 30^th for their final regular-season doubleheader. The MAC Freedom contests are set to begin at 1:00 p.m. in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., with senior-day festivities to take place between the games.