WILKES-BARRE, PA (May 5, 2022) -- After a thrilling day one of the 2022 MAC Freedom Softball Championship Tournament, the King's College softball team is still alive and leading in the fourth game of the championship action. After dropping their first game 6-4 to the #2 seed from Arcadia University, the Monarchs started game four on fire and holds the lead heading into Saturday's action.
Game 1 vs. #2 Arcadia - L, 4-6
The first two innings in the thrilling game two of the 2022 MAC Freedom Championship Tournament saw just one hit over the first two and a half innings before the Arcadia (30-8) bats came alive in the bottom of the third. The Knights plated three runs on five hits to jump ahead 3-0 over the Monarchs.
King's (20-12) got one run back in the top of the fourth as first year
Harley Sullivan hit a one-out singles through the left side and scored on a two-out double off the center field fence from sophomore
Molly Gillette to bring the Monarchs within 3-1. Arcadia tallied another run in response in the bottom of the inning to go ahead, 4-1.
The Monarchs then pulled within one in the top of the fifth as junior
Hannah Farr led off with a single to left field. A one-out single through the left side from sophomore
Kiersten Krouse put two runners on with one out to set up a two-RBI double down the left field line from senior
Lindsey Leppo as as King's closed the deficit to just one, 4-3.
The King's defense made quick work of the Knights as they faced just three batters in the bottom of the inning to set up an exciting sixth inning. Gillette got the inning started with a one-out single to right field before King's got their two-out rally started. Farr singled to right center to advance Gillette to third before back-to-back walks from junior
Olivia Krupski and Krouse tied the game, 4-4.
The Knights responded in the bottom of the innings they plated two runs on two hits, taking the 6-4 lead heading into the final inning of play. After junior
Bailey Loyack worked a lead off walk, the Knights defense shut down the come back efforts as the Monarchs fell, 6-4, in game two of the 2022 MAC Freedom Championships.
Krouse, Gillette, and Farr all recorded two hits in the loss, while Leppo drove in a team-best two runs. First year
Emily Novicki took the loss in the complete-game effort, giving up four earned runs while striking out five.
Morgan Tripodi led the Knights as she went 3-for-3 with two runs and an RBI. Juliana Presto earned the win in 7.0 innings, allowing four earned runs on eight hits.
Game 2 vs. #5 FDU-Florham - Halted due to Darkness:
After four complete innings, game four of the MAC Freedom Championships was halted due to darkness. Play will resume, tentatively, on Saturday morning. When the game was called, King's led FDU-Florham 9-4.
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The schedule for the remainder of the 2022 MAC Freedom Championship Tournament will be reassessed on Friday as Friday's games have been postponed due to the impending weather forecast.
--MONARCHS--