WILKES-BARRE, PA (March 16, 2023) -- After jumping out to an early 2-0 lead, the King's College baseball team saw the visiting Clarks Summit University put up a pair of two run innings as they handed the Monarchs the 7-5 loss in their home opener at Lipo Field on Thursday afternoon. With the loss, the Monarchs drop to 6-5 overall, while the Defenders improve to 2-6.
 
After the King's (6-5) defense recorded three outs in the first on a leadoff strikeout from Zach Day and a double play, the offense got the ball rolling in the bottom of the inning. Nick Ciszak was hit by a pitch and would score on a double to left field from Chase Yochem.
 
It was a similar story in the second as Day posted three strikeouts in the second. Back-to-back errors from Clarks Summit (2-6) saw Jacob Sutton and Will Hronich reach safely before advancing on a passed ball. After a walk from Ciszak loaded the bases, Day drove in the second run of the game to give King's the 2-0 advantage after two innings of play.
 
The Clarks Summit bats would come alive in the next two innings, plating two runs on three hits in the third and another pair of runs on two hits in the fourth to go ahead, 4-2, over the Monarchs. King's chipped away at the deficit in the fifth as three consecutive singles from Gregory Ahlstrom Sutton, and Hronich allowed a run to cross safely and see King's pull within one, 4-3.
 
Each team put up a double in the sixth, but their defenses made quick work to eliminate the threat and allow just one runner each in the seventh.
 
The Defenders drove in another two runs in the eighth off a pair of hits, but the Monarchs would respond in the bottom of the inning as Yochem rocketed a lead off double to center before being driven in off a double from Day off the right center fence. The third double came on a two-out knock from Michael Marmolejos as King's trailed, 6-5, heading into the final inning.
 
Some timely base running from Clarks Summit saw the visitors tack on another run in the ninth to go ahead, 7-5. King's battled in the bottom half of the frame as Sutton led off with a single to right field, but the Defenders defense turned a double play to eliminate the early King's threat. Ciszak stepped up to get a two-out rally started with a double to right field, but Clarks Summit put the game away with a an infield groundout to hand the Monarchs the 7-5 loss in their home opener at Lipo Field on Thursday afternoon.
 
Yochem went 3-for-6 with two doubles, an RBI, and a run, while four other Monarchs posted two hits each. Day drove in a team-best two runs while earning the loss as the starter, throwing 4.0 innings and giving up two earned runs on seven hits and fanning six.
 
Clarks Summit was led by Dan Knight who went 3-for-4 with three RBIs and a run, while Andrew Pelkey scored three times for the Defenders. Their starter in Sawyer Deroche earned the win in 6.0 innings, giving up two earned runs on 10 hits, while Dan Knight recorded the save in the final inning, holding King's scoreless in the comeback effort while giving up two hits.
 
The Monarchs will be back in action on Saturday afternoon as they take on Stevens Institute of Technology in the Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) doubleheader. The first pitch is set for 12:00 p.m. in Hoboken, NJ.