WILKES-BARRE, PA (April 11, 2026)--The King's College softball team dropped a pair of close matchups to FDU-Florham on Saturday at Betzler field, losing the first game 1-0 before falling 9-6 in the nightcap. The losses move the Monarchs to 11-17 overall and 3-3 in conference while the Devils improve to 18-6 and 8-2 in the MAC Freedom.

Game 1 – L, 1–0
The opener turned into a pitchers' duel from the start, with Alyssa Fox matching FDU‑Florham's pace through the early innings as both sides traded quick frames. Fox retired the first six batters she faced, and the defense handled routine contact behind her.

The Devils broke through in the third without recording a hit, using a walk and back‑to‑back errors to bring home the game's only run. King's limited further damage by converting a bunt into an out at first and then turning a flyout into a double play at the plate as Megan Matsko threw out the runner to end the inning.

Fox settled back in immediately, allowing the first hit of her outing in the sixth after a scoreless fourth and fifth inning. She worked around a leadoff single in the sixth by inducing a line‑drive double play and stranded a runner in scoring position in the seventh after a one‑out double.

The Monarchs were unable to find the equalizer in the home half of the seventh as the Devils held on to take game one by a score of 1-0.

Offensively, King's generated a pair of chances but couldn't break through. Paige Bergan singled in the fourth, and Ellie Higdon added a base hit in the fifth, but both were left aboard.

Fox went the distance, finishing her strong outing with six strikeouts, no earned runs, and only two hits allowed across 89 pitches.

Game 2 – L, 9–6

FDU‑Florham applied pressure immediately to start game two, stringing together three hits in the first to bring home the opening run against Madisyn vonFrisch.

The Devils continued to generate traffic in the second and third, but King's kept the deficit at one thanks to an infield stop from Meghan Marianelli, who threw out a runner at home on a fielder's choice to end the threat.

FDU broke the game open in the fourth, using a two‑out surge to plate three runs. A single set the table for an RBI double, which was followed with a two‑run homer to left center to make it 4–0. King's answered in the bottom half when Ellie Higdon reached on a walk and Meghan Marianelli drove her in with a single to right.

The Devils added four more in the fifth, capitalizing on three straight hits and a hit‑by‑pitch before Alyssa Fox entered in relief. A sacrifice fly and a two‑run double extended the margin to 8–1. Fox steadied things from there, limiting FDU to one unearned run over the final 2.2 innings while striking out two.

King's mounted a late push in the seventh, sending nine batters to the plate and plating five runs. Molly Veach opened the inning with a walk, and Elise Larson followed with a single to right. An error loaded the bases, and Paige Bergan forced in a run with a walk, scoring Kara Krouse. Megan Matsko added an RBI single, and another error allowed two more to score. Fox singled to keep the inning alive, and Madison Badali brought home a fourth unearned run on a fielder's choice. The rally brought the tying run to the plate before a groundout sealed the win for the Devils.

King's finished with six hits, including two from Matsko, while Marianelli, Bergan, and Badali each drove in runs during the late push.

The Monarchs return to the diamond on Tuesday, as the team heads to Dallas, PA to take on Misericordia in a MAC Freedom doubleheader set to start at 3:00 p.m.