WILKES-BARRE, PA (March 18, 2023) -- The Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) opener was a thriller from start to finish as the King's College softball team split the doubleheader with Stevens Institute of Technology, earning the 7-4 win in game one and falling 3-2 in eight innings in game two. With the split, the Monarchs stand at 6-4 overall and 1-1 in MAC Freedom play, while the Ducks post a 6-8 overall record and a 1-1 conference mark.
 
Game 1 – W, 7-4:
Stevens (6-8, 1-1 MAC Freedom) plated a run in the opening frame before King's (6-4, 1-1 MAC Freedom) knotted the game in the bottom half of the inning. Kiersten Krouse led off with a triple before scoring on a wild pitch as the game was tied after the opening inning of action. The Ducks tacked on another run in the second, but the Monarchs defense held strong as Brandi McIntosh recorded strikeouts for two out of the three outs in the inning as the Monarchs trailed, 2-1.
 
It was in the bottom of the third when King's took their first lead of the game as Harley Sullivan hit a two-out single through the right side. A single from Ellie Higdon advanced Sullivan to third to set up a two-RBI double from Molly Gillette to put King's ahead, 3-2, after three innings of play.
 
The Ducks responded in the top of the fourth as they tied the game again on an RBI double from Emma Ruiz, but the Monarchs had an immediate response in the bottom of the inning scoring three runs behind singles from Colleen Shuler, Bailey Loyack and Sullivan to push the Monarchs advantage to 6-3.
 
Stevens would make a push in the sixth, tacking on a run behind two hits, but King's plated the insurance run after Krouse singled through the right field line with two outs, stole second, and scored on an RBI single from Loyack. The Monarchs defense retired all three batters faced in the top of the seventh to secure the 7-4 win in the MAC Freedom opener over the Ducks.
 
Four different Monarchs posted multi-hit games in the win, including Krouse who went 2-for-4 with two runs, while Loyack had a 2-for-4 effort with two RBIs and a run. Sullivan posted a 2-for-2 day with a run and an RBI, while Higdon rounded out the multi-hit effort with two hits and a run. Additionally, Molly Gillette drove in two runs in the win. Brandi McIntosh secured the win in the complete-game effort, allowing four earned runs on eight hits with four strikeouts.
 
Stevens was led by Alex Schoellig who went 2-for-3 with two runs and an RBI, while Emma Ruiz posted a 2-for-3 effort with two RBIs. Erin Kreis recorded the loss, giving up seven earned runs on 10 hits in 6.0 innings of action.
 
Game 2 – L, 2-3 (8 Innings):
The thrilling second game was a defensive battle from the start. There were just seven combined hits recorded over the first four innings of play before Stevens broke through in the top of the sixth. The Ducks plated the first two runs of the game on three hits to take a 2-0 lead after six innings of action.
 
The King's defense settled in for the top of the seventh, retiring all three batters faced, to set up an exciting bottom half of the inning from the Monarchs.
 
Kiersten Krouse singled through the right side to put two runners on with one out before a single from Loyack up the middle loaded the bases with just one out. A single to left from Higdon plated the tying runs as the second game of the MAC Freedom doubleheader went to extra innings.
 
Stevens was able to plate a run in the top of the eighth, and despite a one-out walk from Visconti and a two-out walk from Megan Mitola, the Ducks defense stifled the comeback efforts as King's fell, 3-2 in eight innings in the night cap of the conference doubleheader.
 
Loyack went 3-for-4 to pace the King's offense, while both Krouse and Emily Novicki put up two hits each. Higdon drove in a team-best two RBIs in the loss. Novicki was awarded the loss in the complete 8.0 inning game, allowing three earned runs on seven hits while fanning eight.
 
Meg Halloran recorded a 3-for-4 effort with a run in the second game, while Olivia Warner drove in two of three runs in the win for the Ducks. Ashley Allen earned the win in 1.1 innings of relief, giving up no runs and no hits.
 
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The Monarchs will be off for the next week before returning to action on Sunday, March 26 as they host Stockton University in a non-conference doubleheader. Action is set to begin at 1:00 p.m. at Betzler Field.