MYRTLE BEACH, SC (Mar. 7, 2024) - - King's College baseball came back from a 4-0 deficit today after the opening three innings to defeat the Eastern Nazarene Lions 6-4 of its first game of The Ripken Experience this afternoon. Jaiden Wanamaker, Zach Day and Michael Marmolejos all hit doubles to contribute to the Monarchs' win as Dusty Shaver earned his first career win on the mound. King's is now 3-2 this season as Eastern Nazarene falls to 0-5 overall.
 
The Lions had themselves a big first at-bat scoring three of their four runs of the day at the bottom of the first inning. Eastern Nazarene sent a single to right field and advanced to second base on the throw which allowed another base runner to score for its first. The hitter then scored as he sprinted home after stealing third base. The Lions ended the top of the inning with a homerun from Ruddy Vidal. Both the first and second innings ended with Eastern Nazarene leading 3-0 over the Monarchs. Connor Reynolds had two strikeouts in the second to help King's keep the Lions from continuing to build their lead.
 
It was not until the bottom of the third inning that either team scored again as the Lions earned their fourth and final run of the game off a sacrifice fly to left field to put them up 4-0 over King's. The Monarchs started their comeback at the top of the fourth inning as Marmolejo led off for King's with a single and advanced to second on a passed ball, then again to third on a balk to put him in scoring position. Brayden Schoonmaker then sent a single to left field that sent Marmolejo in for the RBI as Schoonmaker himself advanced to second and then third on a passed ball. Wanamaker stepped up to the plate shortly after to rip a double to right field that send Schoonmaker in to score before heading to the bottom of the fourth inning just behind the Lions 4-2.
 
The Monarchs continued their offensive momentum in the top of the fifth to come within one run of the Lions. Day was walked to get on base before stealing second and reaching third on a ground out to put him in place for Marmolejo to take his turn sending a double out to right field. His double allowed Day to score before the end of the inning and shortened their trail to just 4-3 behind Eastern Nazarene.
 
Neither team scored in the sixth inning before Day stepped up to the play at the top of the seventh to hit the Monarchs' third double of the day to left field. Despite King's grounding out during the next two at-bats, Day scored on a wild pitch to tie the game 4-4. Two Lions got on base in the bottom of the seventh inning, but it was not enough for them to score.
 
The Monarchs finally took their lead in the eighth inning as they loaded the bases with their first three at-bats. Chase Yochem sent a hit to the shortstop and reached on fielder's choice while sending Bryce O'Hara in to score before Jacob Sutton advanced home on a scoring error for the game-winning run. After a short nineth inning for both teams, King's defeated Eastern Nazarene 6-4.
 
Shaver recorded the win for the Monarchs on the mound with three strikeouts and only allowing two hits after facing 16 batters. Connor Reynolds also contributed seven strikeouts for King's while only allowing five hits while facing 24 hitters. King's had nine hits in the game with Marmolejo and Wanamaker leading the team with two apiece. The two of them in addition to Yochem and Schoonmaker all tallied RBIs in the win as well.
 
The Monarchs take the field for their one and only double-header of The Ripken Experience Baseball Tournament tomorrow, Friday March 8,  at 3 and 6 pm against Cairn University in Myrtle Beach, SC.