SALISBURY, MD (March 17, 2024) -- Paige Bergan drove in the game-winner in the opener, while a late three-run eighth inning propelled the King's College softball team to a 2-0 stint on their second day of Salisbury's Margie Knight Softball Tournament. The Monarchs improve to 8-4 overall after their weekend trip to Maryland.
 
vs. Carnegie Mellon – W, 7-6:
It was a thrilling start to day two of the Margie Knight Tournament for the Monarchs. Each team put a runner on in the first on lead off singles, but it was the bottom of the second when King's (7-4) got on the scoreboard.
 
Paige Bergan reached on an error and advanced to second before moving up to third on a ground out from BrookeLynn Walters. Collen Shuler worked a one-out walk and stole second to set up a fielder's choice RBI from Jennifer Devens that left runners on the corners. A single to left from Breanna Goldspiel tacked on another run, and after a walk from Megan Mitola loaded the bases, Ellie Higdon drove in a pair with an outfield single to put the Monarchs ahead, 4-0, after two innings of play.
 
Carnegie Mellon (1-3) had an answer in the third, tacking on two off a pair of hits to close within 4-2, but neither team could string together a rally through the next three and a half innings. The Tartans struck again, knotting the score at 4-4 with two fifth-inning scores, but the Monarchs defense limited the damage as Jessice Perella threw out a runner at home to preserve the tied contest.
 
Both Brandi McIntosh and Maura Furst struck out a batter in the top of the sixth to set up another strong inning at the plate for King's. Bergan led off with a single to left, and Shuler bunted Bergan to third while reaching second safely. A sacrifice bunt by Kara Krouse drove in Bergan and left runners on the corners with just one out, and an infield ground out from Goldspiel allowed Shuler to cross safely as the Monarchs took a 6-4 edge heading into the seventh.
 
The Tartans did not go away in the top of the frame, tying the game yet again on three hits, but back-to-back infield ground outs helped silence the comeback efforts from Carnegie Mellon. King's got a quick start in the bottom half of the inning as Perella singled to short stop and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Ellie Higdon. A fielder's choice from Harley Sullivan pushed the winning run over to third, and a fly ball to center off the bat of Bergan allowed Perella to tag up and score the game-winning run to secure the 7-6 victory for King's in their Sunday opener.
 
Bergan led the way with a 2-for-3 effort at the plate, scoring twice and driving in one, while both Higdon and Goldspiel drove in two runs a piece. Furst was awarded the win in relief, throwing the final 1.2 innings and giving up just two runs on three hits while striking out two.
 
Maya Goodwin and Emma Martin each tallied two hits to lead Carnegie Mellon in the loss, while Grace Fujino earned the loss in all 6.2 innings, giving up seven runs on seven hits.
 
vs. Manhattanville – W, 8-6 (8 Innings):
Day two of the Margie Knight tournament wrapped up in an instant classic for King's (8-4) softball. Both squads put up a hit in the first, but the respective defenses took care of business through the first two innings. The Monarchs struck first again as Madison Badali singled to center and advanced to second on an infield single from Goldspiel to put runners on first and second with no outs. A sacrifice bunt from Megan Mitola moved both up a base before a single to center from Jessica Perella plated both to give King's the 2-0 edge after the top of the third.
 
The Valiant's took their first lead of the day, 3-2, over the Monarchs off three hits in the bottom of the fame, but the Monarchs had an immediate response as Colleen Shuler hit a one-out single to short before Badali worked a one-out walk. A two-out double from Mitola allowed a pair to cross, and after a Manhattanville error the Monarchs secured a 5-3 edge heading into the bottom of the fourth.
 
Manhattanville made their move in the bottom of the fifth, tying the game at 5-5, and a quick two innings that featured just one hit, a lead off single from Perella in the top of the seventh, would come up shy as the game entered extra innings.
 
The top of the eighth sent Paige Bergan to second on the international tiebreaker rule. Kara Krouse bunted Bergan to third with a sacrifice, and a single from Shuler drove in the first run of the frame. Hits from Badali and Goldspiel plated the game-winner before a ground out from Mitola put King's ahead, 8-5, heading into the final frame.
 
King's retired the first runner, and after the lone hit of the inning the Monarchs took care of business defensively as King's won their second game of the day, 8-6, over Manhattanville.
 
Perella went 3-for-5with two RBIs, while Mitola drove in three with a run and a hit. Additionally, Badali went 2-for-3 with two runs, and Goldspiel put up a pair of hits, two runs, and an RBI. Emily Novicki secured the win in 8.0 innings, fanning two.
 
The Valiants were led by Sarah Harker and Amaya Esparza with two hits each, while Jori Wilkendorf was given the lost in the final 4.0 frames, allowing the final three runs off five hits.
 
--
 
King's will return to Northeast Pennsylvania as they open Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) play on the road at Stevens on Saturday, March 23.