NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, SC (March 12, 2025) -- Despite a strong defensive showing on day two of their spring training trip to North Myrtle Beach, SC, the King's College softball team dropped both in their doubleheader on Wednesday. They opened the day with a tough 1-0 loss to Mitchell College before falling 4-2 to Penn State Altoona in the afternoon, and they now fall to 1-3 overall.
 
vs. Mitchell – L, 0-1:
The opening contest of the day was a true nail biter for the Monarchs. Both team recorded hits throughout the first three innings, but only a King's (1-2) base runner would make it to third in the stretch as the game remained scoreless.
 
The next three innings slowed as each team only had one hit a piece to set up the thrilling seventh-frame finish. Mitchell (2-1) got their offense rolling with back-to-back one out singles. A two-out hit to left drove in the run, but with the bases loaded and two outs, Alyssa Fox slammed the door on any additional runs as she struck out the final batter as the Monarchs trailed, 1-0.
 
King's could not find an answer in the bottom of the seventh as all three batters were retired in the 1-0 setback in game one of their Wednesday action.
 
Kara Krouse and Megan Matsko each had two hits, while Colleen Shuler added a double. Fox was awarded the loss as she went the distance, striking out 12 and allowing just one earned run.
 
Madison Cole went 3-for-4 with a run and a stolen base, while both Olivia DeCicco and Emma LaBreck added two hits a piece for the Mariners. Katelynn Goodman earned the win in the final 2.0 innings of relief as she gave up just one hit in her scoreless outing.
 
vs. Penn State Altoona – L, 2-4:
Both teams put a runner on in the first but did not bring her around to score. Penn State Altoona (3-4) struck first, scoring in the top of the second as they strung together four hits to take the early 1-0 lead. The Nittany Lions then plated a second in the third off a pair of hits to tack on the insurance run, but King's (1-3) had their first answer of the game in the bottom of the frame. Megan Matsko worked a one-out walk, advanced to second during Fox's at bat, and scored on a two-out RBI single to left field from Krouse to close within 2-1 after three innings of work.
 
Penn State Altoona responded quickly, silencing a mid-game comeback effort by the Monarchs with another two runs off three hits in the fourth. After two quick innings that saw just one hit recorded in the game, King's got back in the scoring column in the bottom of the sixth. Fox reached on a fielding error and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from Krouse. She then scored on back-to-back outfield hits by Meghan Marianelli and Cadie Munjone as the Monarchs cut the deficit to 4-2.
 
Despite letting the lead off runner on in the top of the seventh, a pair of pop outs and a strikeout at the hands of Madisyn vonFrisch set up the Monarchs for their final at bats. King's could not shift the momentum in the bottom of the seventh as they fell, 4-2, in their second contest on Wednesday.
 
Krouse, Marianelli, and Munjone all had hits, with Krouse and Munjone driving in runs. Maura Furst picked up the loss as the starter, throwing 3.1 innings and allowing all four earned runs with a pair of strikeouts, while vonFrisch threw well in relief fanning five in her scoreless outing.
 
Gianna Hoppel led the Nittany Lions as she went 2-for-3 with a double, a run, and an RBI. Josselyn Nau went the distance and earned her third win of the season, giving up two earned runs on three hits.
 
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The Monarchs will wrap up their stretch in North Myrtle Beach tomorrow as they take on Immaculata at the Central Park Sports Complex at 1:00 p.m. before heading over to the North Myrtle Beach Park & Sports Complex to face Dickinson at 5:00 p.m.