WILKES-BARRE, PA (March 22, 2023) -- The King's College baseball team exploded for 20 runs on 14 hits as they defeated Penn State Wilkes-Barre, 20-10, to snap a seven-game losing streak on Wednesday afternoon at Lipo Field. With the win, the Monarchs improve to 7-9 overall and pick up their first home win of the 2023 season, while the Nittany Lions fall to 0-2.
 
The Monarchs gave up an early run in the top of the first, but their bats came alive in the bottom of the inning, plating eight runs on three hits including a leadoff double from Nick Ciszak and back-to-back singles from Chase Yochem and Zach Day as King's (7-9) saw their lead stand at 8-1 after just one inning of action.
 
After a quiet second inning, King's got back on the board in the bottom of the third as they saw three more cross on hits from Ciszak and a double from Marmolejos. Penn State Wilkes-Barre (0-2) had a response in the top of the fourth as they put up their second run on a solo home run from Juan Carlos Vidal as the Monarchs lead stood at 11-2.
 
The King's bats came alive again in the bottom of the fourth, exploding for seven more runs on five hits highlighted by a two RBI-double from Brandon Loner as their lead swelled to 18-2.
 
Caleb Graham took the mound for King's in the top of the fifth and struck out two of the three batters faced as the game went into the bottom of the fifth. Singles from Yochem and Marmolejos and a double from Day set up another two-run inning for King's as they scored their final runs of the game to hold a 20-2 advantage over the Nittany Lions.
 
The visitors found their rhythm in the top of the sixth, closing the deficit to 20-10 as they scored eight on three hits. It was too little too late as the game was called due to darkness after the top of the sixth to see King's snap their seven-game losing streak with the 20-10 win at Lipo Field.
 
Yochem had a stellar outing in the win, going 3-for-3 with three RBIs and three runs, while Marmolejos went 3-for-5 with two RBIs and a run. Ciszak, Day, and Gregory Ahlstrom all added multi-hit games as well as part of the 14-hit team effort for the Monarchs. Additionally, Loner and Day both drove in three runs a piece. Brennen Schneider earned the win in 4.0 innings of work, allowing just one earned run on five hits with four strikeouts.
 
Vidal and Tyler Sewell led Penn State Wilkes Barre with two hits each, while Vidal drove in three and scored three times. Andrew Mentzer was award the loss as the starter, allowing eight runs on three hits with four walks in 0.2 recorded innings.
 
King's will set its sights on their MAC Freedom series this weekend with cross-town rival Wilkes University. The Monarchs will head across town to Edwardsville, Pa. for a 3:30 p.m. game on Friday afternoon before hosting the doubleheader with the Colonels on Saturday at noon at Lipo Field.