WILKES-BARRE, PA (April 21, 2026) -- The King's College baseball team dropped an 8-7 nonconference decision to Marywood University Tuesday afternoon at Lipo Field. The Monarchs erased an early deficit and briefly held the lead in the middle innings, but the Pacers answered late to escape with the one‑run victory. King's slipped to 6-23 overall, while Marywood improved to 22-12.
 
Marywood jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first, but King's answered immediately in the bottom half. Troy Neff led off the inning with a walk and came around to score when Jordan Andino ripped a triple into the left‑center gap. Andino then crossed the plate on an RBI single from Brendan Kopec to cut the deficit to 4-2.
 
The Monarchs surged ahead in the second inning with a three‑run frame. Dominic Carafa worked a leadoff walk and Joshua Quinones was hit by a pitch before Kevin Kullman laid down a bunt single to bring home a run. Mikey Timinski followed with an RBI single to left center, and King's capitalized on a defensive miscue to take a 5-4 lead.
 
King's extended the advantage in the bottom of the third behind another momentum‑shifting swing. With Kullman on first, Neff ripped a stand‑up triple into the gap in right‑center, allowing Kullman to score all the way from first and giving the Monarchs a 6-5 lead.
 
Marywood threatened in the top of the fourth, loading the bases with no outs, but Logan Smith kept the Monarchs in front. Smith induced a foul out to Zach Jenkins behind the plate before turning a momentum‑shifting 4‑6‑3 double play to escape the jam and preserve the one‑run lead.
 
King's added to its advantage in the bottom of the inning. Andino reached base and moved into scoring position before Jenkins laid down a bunt single down the third‑base line, allowing Andino to cross the plate and extend the Monarchs' lead to 7-5.
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Reliever Aydan Davis helped limit further damage in the top of the fifth, working out of the inning with a strike‑'em‑out, throw‑'em‑out double play to keep the Monarchs within one. King's generated traffic late but was unable to get the tying run across as Marywood held on for the victory.
 
Offensively, Neff finished with a stand-up triple and an RBI, while Kullman scored twice and drove in a run. Andino added a triple, scored twice, and recorded an RBI. Jenkins finished the day with two hits and an RBI.
 
On the mound, Smith provided a critical shutdown inning in relief, while Davis tossed 2.2 scoreless innings and delivered the key double play to stall Marywood's momentum.
 
The Monarchs return to Lipo Field on Friday, hosting Delaware Valley University for the first game of a three-game Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom series. First pitch against the Aggies is set for 3:30 p.m.