WILKES-BARRE, PA(March 26, 2026)—The King's College softball team came away with two tight wins over Lycoming College on Thursday afternoon at Betzler Field. The Monarchs won the first game by a score of 4-1 before taking the second game, 2-1 as King's moves to 8-12 overall on the season.

Game 1 – W, 4-1

The Monarchs struck first in the bottom of the second inning, capitalizing on a Lycoming error to generate early offense. Elise Larson reached on the miscue before Meghan Marianelli delivered an RBI double to left field. Later in the inning, Colleen Shuler added an RBI single through the left side to give King's a 2-0 advantage.

Lycoming answered in the fourth inning with a two-out RBI single to cut the deficit to 2-1, but the Monarchs responded immediately in the bottom half of the frame. Ellie Higdon and Makenzie Johnson recorded back-to-back singles before Kara Krouse drove in a run with a single up the middle to extend the lead to 3-1.

King's added an insurance run in the fifth inning as Paige Bergan doubled to right field and came around to score on an RBI single by Megan Matsko, pushing the advantage to 4-1.

From there, Fox and the Monarchs defense shut the door. King's played error-free softball behind Fox, who induced 12 flyouts and six groundouts while holding Lycoming scoreless over the final three innings.

Offensively, the Monarchs totaled 10 hits in the contest. Matsko and Higdon each recorded two hits, while Shuler added a two-hit performance with an RBI. Marianelli and Krouse each drove in a run to pace the offense.

Fox improved to 5-5 on the season, scattering seven hits while striking out three and walking three while going the distance. The right-hander worked out of multiple jams, stranding runners in key situations to keep the Warriors off the board late in the game.

Game 2 – W, 2-1

King's had opportunities early in game two, but were unable to push runs across. In the first and third innings, King's loaded the bases but was unable to capitalize as the Warriors came up with clutch outs.

Lycoming scored their lone run in the second inning on a double that later came home on a sacrifice fly, giving the Warriors a 1-0 lead.

After a scoreless fourth, the Monarchs broke through in the bottom of the fifth inning. Paige Bergan drew a walk and Breanna Goldspiel singled, setting the stage for Megan Matsko, who delivered a clutch two-RBI double over the center fielder's head, driving in both runners and giving King's a 2-1 advantage.

King's added no further runs but relied on solid situational play and vonFrisch's command of the zone to maintain the lead and secure the sweep. 

Defensively, King's played error-free ball behind Madisyn vonFrisch, who turned in a complete-game gem, allowing just one unearned run while allowing seven hits over seven innings of work. She struck out two, walked none, and forced 12 groundouts, with the Monarchs' defense highlighted by a spectacular 6-3-5 double play in the sixth inning from Colleen Shuler to Liz Wilson to Meghan Marianelli that cleared the bases and ended a potential Lycoming rally.

Offensively, Matsko led the way with her two-RBI double, Goldspiel added two hits and a stolen base, and Liz Wilson tacked on a double.

The Monarchs return to the diamond on Saturday as they take on Arcadia on the road in Glenside, PA for a MAC-Freedom doubleheader with first pitch set for 1:00 p.m.