WILKES-BARRE, PA (April 17, 2025) -- The 4-2 game-one win in the Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) doubleheader snapped a skid by the King's College softball team, but the Monarchs settled for a split with a 8-1 setback in game two to Misericordia University. With the split on Thursday afternoon at the Softball Field at Betzler, the Monarchs move to 11-21 overall and 2-10 in the standings, while the Cougars improve to 21-11 and 5-5 in the conference.
 
Game 1 – W, 4-2:
The Cougars struck first, scoring both in the first and the third on a lead off double, sacrifice bunt, and one-out sacrifice fly to take the early 2-0 lead through the first three innings. King's (11-21, 2-10 MAC Freedom) responded in the bottom of the third, finding their rhythm to plate one on three hits. Breanna Goldspiel doubled to left, advanced to third on a ground out by Harley Sullivan, and scored on a two-out RBI single to left center by Paige Bergan to close within 2-1.
 
The Monarchs offense exploded for three runs on as many hits in the bottom of the fourth. Megan Matsko and Colleen Shuler reached on back-to-back hits before Kara Krouse moved the runners on a bunt. A throwing error by the Misericordia (21-11, 5-5 MAC Freedom) first baseman on the bunt brought in Matsko, and Goldspiel bunted over Krouse and Shuler to set up a two-RBI double off the bat of Sullivan to make it a 4-2 game in favor of the Monarchs.
 
After a quick fifth inning, both teams had a hit in the sixth but neither could get much going the remainder of the contest as King's took game one and snapped their skid, 4-2, over the Cougars.
 
Bergan paced the eight-hit effort as she went 2-for-3 with an RBI, while Sullivan drove in a pair. Emily Novicki fanned eight in the complete-game win while giving up just five hits and two earned runs.
 
Bridgette Doherty led Misericordia with a 2-for-3 effort and both runs, while Gianna Russo drove in both runs for the Cougars. Gabby Cruz picked up the loss, allowing four earned runs on eight hits.
 
Game 2 – L, 1-8:
King's carried their momentum into the second game, plating the first run of the game in the bottom of the second thanks to a lead off single from Novicki, a one-out hit from Matsko, and an RBI form Shuler to lead, 1-0, through two.
 
The Cougars rallied to tie the game in the top of the third behind three hits, but after a quick fourth inning Misericordia struck again. The visitors capitalized on three hits and a Monarchs miscue to score twice, pushing their lead to 3-1 in the fifth before tacking on another three runs in the sixth as the lead swelled to 6-1. The final two insurance runs came in the top of the seventh, and despite a one-out walk from Novicki in in the bottom of the seventh, all three balls sent to the outfield in the frame were caught as King's dropped the 8-1 decision in the MAC Freedom split with the Cougars.
 
Novicki had a hit and a run, while both Matsko and Alyssa Fox finished with hits to lead the Monarchs. Madisyn vonFrisch recorded the loss in the complete game, allowing four earned runs on 13 hits with three strikeouts.
 
Mackenzie Fizer went 4-for-4 with a double, a run, and two RBI to lead the Cougars in the win. Marisa Kelly earned the win as the starter, throwing 6.0 innings and giving up the earned run on three hits.
 
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King's will be off for the Easter weekend before returning to Betzler to host the University of Scranton in non-conference play. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.