SCRANTON, PA (April 16, 2024) -- On a sunny Tuesday afternoon, the King's College softball team made up their non-conference doubleheader on the road at Marywood University, falling 6-0 in game one and 6-3 in game two. The Monarchs drop to 10-17 overall, while the Pacers improved to 15-9.
 
Game 1 – L, 0-6:
Harley Sullivan led off the game with a single to right, but the King's (10-17) offense stalled from there in the top of the first. Marywood (15-9) got on the board in the bottom of the frame, scoring thanks to a lead off hit by pitch and one-out double to center to go ahead, 1-0.
 
A two-out double in the top of the second off the bat of Nina Anzalone served as the only hit in the next two innings before Paige Bergan led off the top of the fourth with a ball hit to left field. It was the Pacers who capitalized in their next trip to the plate, tacking on their second run of the game before adding two more tallies in the bottom of the fifth as the Monarchs deficit increased to 4-0.
 
Marywood scored another pair off a hit in the bottom of the sixth, and the defense held off a comeback effort from King's as the Monarchs fell, 6-0, in game one of the non-conference doubleheader in Scranton.
 
Sullivan, Bergan, Anzalone, and Emily Novicki all recorded hits for the Monarchs. Courtney Grogan picked up the loss through the first 4.2 innings, giving up three earned runs on four hits, while Novicki tossed the final 1.1 frames, allowing two unearned runs off two hits.
 
Emma McNally led Marywood with a 2-for-3 effort, adding a double, a run, and an RBI. Marissa Gregory went the distance for the Pacers, throwing the four-hit shutout.
 
Game 2 – L, 3-6:
The second game started similarly, with Megan Mitola kicking things off with a single to left, and Novicki was hit by a pitch to put two on with one out, but the Monarchs were unable to drive in a score.
 
The Pacers struck first again, driving in one off a pair of hits in the bottom of the first, but King's rallied in the top of the second. Madisyn vonFrisch worked a one-out walk and came around to score on a two-out double to right by Breanna Goldspiel. She moved up to third on a wild pitch and scored with Mitola's second hit of the game, a two-out single through the right side, to put the Monarchs ahead, 2-1.
 
King's carried the momentum into the top of the third, tacking on another score as Sullivan hit a one-out double to left center, advanced to third on an infield single from Madison Badali, and scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Tori Holena as the Monarch lead jumped to 3-1.
 
The hosts responded in the bottom of the third, putting up four runs on as many hits to take a 5-3 edge. Marywood scored an insurance run in the bottom of the fourth to push their advantage to 6-3, and King's fell short as Leanna Rinaldi's lead off single in the top of the seventh would be the final hit in the game for the Monarchs in the 6-3 setback to Marywood at the Pacer Softball Field.
 
Mitola led the six-hit effort as she went 2-for-4 with an RBI, while Goldspiel had a run, a hit, and an RBI. vonFrisch earned the loss as the starter, going 2.2 innings with just one earned run off seven hits, while Brandi McIntosh threw well in 3.1 innings of relief, allowing one unearned run on four hits with four strikeouts.
 
Both Renee McDonald and Priscilla Grill went 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run to lead Marywood. Sam Ferrara picked up the win through the first 6.0 innings, while Gregory came in to collect the save in the final frame.
 
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The Monarchs are back in action tomorrow afternoon as they are set to travel to Williamsport, Pa. to take on Lycoming College. First pitch of the non-conference doubleheader is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. at the Shangraw Athletic Complex Softball Field.