CENTER VALLEY, PA (April 27, 2025) -- Emily Novicki tossed the 10-inning shutout victory in game one to spark the King's College softball team in a Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) sweep over DeSales University on Sunday afternoon. The Monarchs defeated the Bulldogs, 2-0, through the extra-inning effort in game one before taking game two, 9-4. The Monarchs wrap up the 2025 regular season 15-23 overall and 4-10 in conference play, while the Bulldogs fall to 16-18 with a 7-7 conference mark.
 
Game 1 – W, 2-0 (10 Innings):
It was a defensive standoff from the start. Each team had three hits through the first three frames, but neither could bring around a runner to score. King's (15-23, 4-10 MAC Freedom) got a runner to third in both the fourth and the fifth, but the DeSales (16-18, 7-7 MAC Freedom) defense kept the Monarchs at bay to preserve the 0-0 game.
 
The Bulldogs had their best opportunity in the game late, loading the bases with two outs in the bottom of the sixth, but a ground out to Colleen Shuler at shortstop kept the game scoreless.
 
Neither team could get much going across the next three frames outside a two-out single from the Bulldogs in the bottom of the ninth to set up the thrilling 10^th frame in Center Valley.
 
Breanna Goldspiel was placed at second on the international tiebreaker rule, and Harley Sullivan drove her in with a single down the left field line. Paige Bergan had a hit to center to put runners on the corners with one out, but the DeSales defense threw out Sullivan at home on the next at bat to keep it a 1-0 game in favor of the Monarchs. Meghan Marianelli stepped up and drove in the insurance run on a single to left as King's held on to a 2-0 lead heading into the bottom of the 10^th.
 
The ball never left the infield on a pair of ground outs and a pop out to Ellie Higdon at third as King's secured the 2-0 extra-inning win in game one of the conference doubleheader.
 
Sullivan and Marianelli each went 3-for-5 with an RBI in the win. Novicki tossed an absolute gem in her 10-inning shutout victory, tying her career high with 11 strikeouts and only allowing six hits.
 
Six different Bulldogs had hits in the loss. Rachel Lowry picked up the setback in the circle, allowing two runs on nine hits.
 
Game 2 – W, 9-4:
Neither team wasted time getting a score on the board to start the night cap. Alyssa Fox and Marianelli worked back-to-back one-out walks before Fox scored on a double to left from Novicki to lead, 1-0, early. DeSales responded with their own run in the bottom of the first on a pair of hits to tie the game, 1-1, but after a quick second frame the Monarchs struck again.
 
Marianelli doubled to left and advanced to third as Novicki reached on a throwing error by the DeSales shortstop before advancing to second on a wild pitch. A single by Megan Matsko and a ground out from Madison Badali plated the pair as King's jumped ahead, 3-1.
 
The Monarchs added their fourth run of the game in the fourth inning as Sullivan walked with one out, advanced to second on a ground out from Fox, and scored on a single up-the-middle by Marianelli to make it a 4-1 game.
 
In the top of the fifth, Matsko doubled down the right field line before Badali and Shuler had back-to-back infield hits to score the first run of the frame. After a pitching change, a double steal by Badali and Shuler tacked on another run as the Monarchs held on to a 6-1 advantage through five innings.
 
The Bulldogs chipped away at the deficit in the bottom of the sixth to close within 6-3, but King's had an answer in the seventh. Badali walked with one out and advanced to third as Karleigh Weist reached on a Bulldog error. Tori Holena singled to right to plate a pair of runs before scoring on a two-out double by Sullivan as the lead swelled to 9-3.
 
DeSales brought in one tally in the bottom of the seventh, but Madisyn vonFrisch shut the door on a potential comeback with a strikeout as King's won, 9-4, in game two to complete the series sweep over the Bulldogs.
 
Sullivan, Marianelli, and Matsko each had two hits, a run, and an RBI in the win, while both Novicki and Holena had a hit, a run, and an RBI. Courtney Grogan collected the victory as the starter, throwing 5.0 frames and allowing one earned run on five hits with five strikeouts, while vonFrisch threw well in the final 2.0 innings in relief as she fanned two.
 
Gianna Angermeier went 3-for-4 with two stolen bases and two runs to lead the Bulldogs in game two. Tabitha Lawless was awarded the loss as the starter, giving up five earned runs on eight hits while walking three.