WILKES-BARRE, PA (Mar. 22, 2024) - - King's College baseball faced two setbacks in today's doubleheader against Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom opponent the Ducks of Stevens Institute of Technology. The Monarchs lost 7-3 in the first game despite making a two-run comeback in the bottom of the seventh inning to tie the game and go into an extra inning. They fell short again in the second game 3-2 after making another two-run comeback this time in the fifth inning. King's is now 5-11 overall and 1-5 in MAC Freedom play. 

Game 1- L, 3-7 (8 Innings)
Both the Monarchs and Ducks had a short first inning before Stevens earned the first run of the day in the second inning. The Ducks had a runner on third base after advancing to second on a passed ball and tagging up on a fly ball to be ready in scoring position when Garrett Wolf hit a double for an RBI. Neither team scored for the remainder of the second inning until the Ducks singled to center field in the top of the third to collect their second run of the day for a 2-0 lead over King's. The Monarchs were quick to respond in the bottom of the third when Zach Day doubled to center field to send Owen Kosar home to put King's on the scoreboard at 2-1. 

King's and Stevens continued to battle head-to-head in an attempt to earn a few more runs, but it was not until the seventh inning that both teams scored again. In the top of the inning, the Ducks reached first on a fielders choice that allowed them to tally another RBI to bump their lead to 3-1. The Monarchs were quick to react in the bottom of the inning as they loaded the bases in time for Justin Stefanowicz to send a sacrifice fly to right field so Brennen Schneider could score the RBI. Jaiden Wanamaker then stepped to the plate and singled to right field to tie the game 3-3 after Mikey Timinski reached home. 

Despite the Monarchs' comeback in the seventh inning, it was not enough to hold back the Ducks in the top of the eighth inning as they scored four runs. Stevens' first batter advanced to third on a throwing error that put him in scoring position for Wolf to hit his second double of the game to put them ahead 4-3. Wolf then advanced to third which set him up to score in Stevens' next at-bat. The Ducks scored their sixth run on a fielder's choice and their final game-winning run on a wild pitch to ultimately win 7-4 over King's.

Schnedier led the Monarchs' offense in the first game with two hits and a run, while Timinski and Kosar both added runs as well. Wanamaker, Day and Stefanowicz recorded King's RBIs for the game, and Brayden Schoonmaker and Jacob Sutton contributed sacrifice hits. 

Game 2 - L, 2-3
Similar to Game 1, the Ducks scored the first run of the second game in the first inning after Christian Kresier hit a double to earn the RBI and Stevens' 1-0 lead. Neither team scored in the second inning, but the Ducks recorded their second run in the third when they singled to right field for another RBI. 

Both teams played tough in the field to keep the other from scoring in the fourth inning, but King's finally put itself on the board in the fifth to make another two-run comeback. Wanamaker and Sutton were on first and second base respectively when Nick Ciszak hit a single to right field and advanced to third on throw that allowed both Wanamaker and Sutton to score and tie the game 2-2. 

The Monarchs only allowed the Ducks four at-bats in the sixth inning and no runs to keep the game at a 2-2 draw, but took back their lead in the seventh inning when Chip Krese hit a double to get set to score on a single in the next at-bat. Despite King's attempt to score in the bottom of the inning, the Monarchs fell just short 3-2 against Stevens.

Ciszak led King's at the plate with two hits and an RBI in addition to Wanamaker's and Sutton's runs. Adin Hoderewski took to the mound for the Monarchs and tallied two strikeouts while allowing only six hits in facing 29 batters.

King's will take a short trip to Dallas, PA, on Wednesday Mar. 27 to play MAC Freedom opponent Misericordia at the Cougars' home field, Tambur Field, at 3:30 pm before both the Monarchs and Cougars come to Lipo Field for a doubleheader the following day, Thursday Mar. 28, starting at noon.