ABERDEEN, MD (March 9, 2026) -- The King's College baseball team opened its spring break trip to the Ripken Experience with a doubleheader split against Notre Dame of Maryland University, Monday afternoon at the Ripken Complex. The Monarchs took the seven-inning opener 2-1 before dropping the second game, 16-3. The twin bill marked the first two contests of the Monarchs' five-game set in Aberdeen. The results move King's to 1-3 overall, while the Gators stand at 2-10 on the season.

Game 1 - W, 2-1
Righthander Connor Reynolds quickly worked through the top of the Notre Dame (MD) order, facing the minimum in the top of the frame thanks to a pair of strikeouts. King's then seized early momentum as Troy Neff led off the bottom of the first with a solo home run to right, giving the Monarchs a 1-0 lead. Reynolds settled in from there, allowing just a pair of singles over the next three frames while the defense handled routine chances behind him to keep the one-run edge intact through four.
 
The visitors pulled level in the top of the fifth as a ground ball miscue at first allowed a runner to reach, a steal and passed ball pushed the runner to third, and a two-out single pushed him across the plate to tie the game at 1-1. Reynolds limited the damage by stranding two in scoring position with a strikeout to end the inning, and the Monarchs wasted no time grabbing the lead back.
 
In the home half of the fifth, Jordan Andino beat out an infield single and moved to second on a muffed throw before advancing to third on a flyout to right. Brendan Kopec followed by lining a single to left to score Andino, restoring King's one-run advantage at 2-1. The Monarchs threatened to add on later in the frame but were turned away by an inning-ending double play.
 
Offensively, Neff's leadoff homer set the tone before Kopec drove in the winner. Both Owen Kosar and Dominic Carafa doubled as King's totaled five hits.
 
Dusty Shaver took over on the mound to start the sixth and slammed the door, working two 1-2-3 innings to earn the save with a pair of fly balls and four groundouts. Reynolds collected the win after 5.0 strong innings, allowing just three hits and one unearned run with five strikeouts.

Game 2 - L, 16-3
The nightcap tilted the other direction as the Gators pieced together a two-out rally in the first. A single to the right side extended the inning, a walk loaded the bases, and a hit-by-pitch forced home the opening run before a groundout ended the threat with a 2-0 deficit for the Monarchs. King's answered in the bottom half when Owen Kosar drew a one-out walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch, and scored on Jaiden Wanamaker's RBI single to right to cut the margin to 2-1.
 
The visitors broke the game open in the second. A one-out triple to right set up the frame before a hit-by-pitch and a stolen base applied pressure with the bases now loaded.  A fielding error at short allowed two unearned runs to score, followed by an RBI single to center, a double down the left side that pushed another across, and a two-run single. capped a six-run inning that prompted an early call to the bullpen as Aydan Davis came on in relief of Alexander Breitfeller.
 
Notre Dame (MD) took advantage of a wild pitch and passed ball, tacking on a pair of runs in the third. When all was said and done, the Gators' had extended their lead to 10-1.
 
The King's relief corps settled and the defense erased a baserunner as catcher Wyatt Moore caught a runner stealing in the fourth. The Monarchs created traffic on the basepaths with a leadoff walk in the bottom of the fourth, but saw a caught stealing and a pair of flyouts end the inning. A single by Hayden Fisher in the fifth briefly stirred a rally, yet a fly ball to right left two aboard.
 
The Monarchs manufactured two runs in the sixth. Jason Cunha singled while consecutive defensive miscues - a drop in the outfield and a muffed throw on the infield - loaded the bases before a fielder's choice off the bat of Joshua Quinones plated one run. An error allowed a second run to score as the deficit narrowed to 10-3.
 
The visitors countered in the top half with another six-run surge, using a walk, a wild pitch and timely contact to push the game out of reach. King's added a late baserunner in each of the final two frames but could not extend the game further.
 
Cunha finished with two hits off the bench to pace the Monarch bats in the second game, while Wanamaker and Quinones each collected an RBI. Fisher, Nathan Gilson and Kevin Kullman added base knocks as King's totaled six hits.
 
Breitfeller took the loss after 1.1 innings of work in the start. The Monarchs used five relievers to navigate the remaining frames, highlighted by stretches of soft contact and Moore gunning down a runner at second.
 
The Monarchs return to the Ripken Complex tomorrow, playing host to Saint Mary's College of Maryland for another seven-inning doubleheader. First pitch in game one is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.