NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, SC (March 6, 2023) – It was another thrilling day of softball in the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic in North Myrtle Beach, SC as the King's College softball team split their contests, defeating Widener University 8-0 in six innings before falling in a heartbreaker, 6-4, in eight innings in the night cap to Thiel College. With the split, the Monarchs now stand at 2-2 to start the 2023 campaign.
 
vs. Widener – W, 8-0 (6 Innings):
It was a slow start in the opener as neither team saw more than one base runner reach safely in the first two and a half innings, before the King's (2-1) bats came alive in the bottom of the third, plating five runs on seven hits. Six straight Monarch batters stepped up and recorded singles before a double from Gabby Visconti drove in the final run of the inning as King's led, 5-0, after three innings of action.
 
Action slowed again as King's put the lone runner on the bases in the fourth before a back-to-back leadoff doubles from Harley Sullivan and Ellie Higdon in the bottom of the fifth drove in one more to push the Monarchs lead to 6-0.
 
King's retired all three batters faced in the sixth and made quick work in the bottom of the inning as Colleen Shuler was hit by a pitch, and Hannah Farr recorded a hard-hit infield single to the short stop. A single up the middle from Megan Mitola saw Shuler cross safely before a sacrifice fly from Higdon allowed the winning run to cross to post the 8-0 win in six innings.
 
Four different Monarchs recorded multi-hit games in the win, led by Higdon who went 2-for-3 with three RBIs, while both Sullivan and Farr posted two hits with two runs scored. Mitola rounded out the two-hit effort with two RBIs, while Shuler also scored twice. Courtney Grogan earned the win in her first collegiate appearance, throwing the complete 6.0 innings and giving up just one hit while striking out two.
 
Widener got their lone hit of the game from Samantha McCarthy, while the starter Mikayla Fedele was awarded the loss as she threw 5.0 innings and allowed six earned runs on nine hits.
 
As a team, the Monarchs recorded 11 hits while totaling eight RBIs on their eight runs scored. King's also posted three extra-base hits in the win.
 
vs. Thiel – L, 4-6 (8 Innings):
There were three combined hits in the first two innings before Thiel (1-2) broke open the scoring in the third thanks to a two-out RBI single to put the Tomcats ahead, 1-0. King's (2-2) responded in the bottom of the inning as Bailey Loyack singled through the left side and stole second, then used some heads up base running to advance to third to set up the RBI single through the left side from Sullivan to tie the game, 1-1, after three complete innings.
 
Each team put up a hit in both the fourth and the fifth before Thiel got back in the scoring column in the top of the sixth thanks to a solo home run from Dani Ficeti to put the Tomcats back on top, 2-1. The Monarchs would rally again as Kara Krouse hit an infield single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Kiersten Krouse. An RBI single down the right field line from Tori Holena allowed Kara Krouse to score and knot up the game again at 2-2 heading into the final inning of regulation.
 
All six batters that stepped up to the plate in the seventh were retired as the game went into extra innings. The international tie breaker was in place, and Thiel took advantage as their offense put up four runs with one hit to jump ahead, 6-2.
 
The Monarchs posted a valiant comeback effort as Sullivan hit a leadoff single to put runners on the corner, and Kara Krouse cleared the bases with a triple to right center to put the Monarchs within two, 6-4. Some timely defensive plays from the Tomcats put an end to the King's comeback effort as the Monarchs dropped the heartbreaking 6-4 final in the night cap.
 
Sullivan went 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI, while Kara Krouse posted a 2-for-4 effort with two RBIs and a run. Jennifer Devens was solid in her first collegiate action, throwing 3.0 innings and allowing just one unearned run on five hits, while Brandi McIntosh was awarded the loss in 5.0 innings of relief, allowing three earned runs while fanning six.
 
Kylee Yothers went a perfect 3-for-3 to lead Thiel, while Dani Ficeti drove in a team-best two runs. The Tomcats starter in Kayla Roddy went the distance, earning the win in 8.0 innings while giving up three earned runs on nine hits.
 
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The Monarchs will get an early start tomorrow morning as they face off with Montclair State University at 9:00 a.m. before taking on Kean University at 1:00 p.m. at the North Myrtle Beach Park and Sports Complex.