MYRTLE BEACH, SC (Mar. 8, 2024) - - King's College baseball dropped both of its games in the Monarchs' doubleheader against Cairn University Highlanders as they fell 10-1 in the first game and 12-0 in the second today during The Ripken Experience. Michael Marmolejos recorded a double in the first game for King's, who's overall record is now 3-4 this season.
 
Game 1 – L, 10-1
The Monarchs played strong in the field in the first two innings and allowed just one Highlander to get on base. It was not until the third inning that Cairn scored the first runs of the game. The Highlanders sent a their first scorer home on a throwing error. Soon after another Cairn player singled to left field for two RBIs before Sam Spadea hit one out of the park for a four-run homer to put the Highlanders ahead 6-0. Cairn's final scoring play of the inning came from a sacrifice fly to left field to allow the runner on third to tag up and score to cap the third inning at 8-0.
 
The Monarchs held off Cairn through the fourth and fifth innings despite struggling to get on base themselves. In the sixth inning, Jaiden Wanamaker and Zach Day were both walked to get on base just before Marmolejos doubled down the right field line to send Wanamaker home for the RBI. Unfortunately King's could not continue its offensive momentum and ended the top of the sixth down 8-1. The Highlanders managed to score their final two runs of the game in the bottom of the sixth when they advanced runners following a wild pitch and sent a single down the third base line to win the game 10-1 over King's.
 
Marmolejos and Brayden Schoonmaker both recorded hits for the Monarchs in the first game of the day. Adin Hoderewski and Caleb Graham combined for four strikeouts on the mound and only allowed nine hits from 27 at-bats.
 
Game 2 – L, 12-0
King's kicked off the second game similarly to the first with a strong defensive showing in the first two innings and holding off the Highlanders from scoring until the third inning. Cairn scored the first run of the game on an RBI from a single sent through the right side before ripping a double to left field for two more runs to build a 3-0 lead over the Monarchs to end the third.
 
Cairn continued to build on its lead in the fourth inning as the Highlanders picked up three more runs from a single and a double for a 6-0 lead. Wanamaker was walked in the fourth and later advanced to second on a failed pickoff attempt by Cairn, but was unable to get to scoring position.
 
The Highlanders picked up two more runs in the fifth inning from another single and a double to grow their lead to 8-0. They continued to do the same in the sixth inning as Cairn earned sent another runner home off a single and then earned an RBI off a ground out to come up to 10-0. Jacob Sutton singled to center field at the bottom of the sixth to get on base for King's and was followed by Nick Ciszak who reached first as well, but the Monarchs fell short in getting them in scoring position again.
 
Cairn scored its final runs of the day in the seventh inning off a two-run triple sent down the left field line. Marmolejos and Brendan Kopec both recorded singles in the bottom of the inning in one last attempt to get on the scoreboard, but did not reach home in time. Cairn defeated King's 12-0.
 
Matt Masala and Brennen Schneider combined for four strikeouts in the Monarchs' second game, while Marmolejos, Kopec, and Sutton all recorded hits for King's.
 
The Monarchs take the field again tomorrow, Saturday Mar. 9, for the third day of The Ripken Experience in Myrtle Beach, SC. King's will compete against Albertus Magnus at 1 pm.