King's College Athletics

EDWARDSVILLE, PA (April 30, 2026) -- The King's College baseball team wrapped up its 2026 season on Thursday afternoon at Bruggeworth Field, falling to Wilkes University 7-1 in non‑conference action. The Monarchs move to 6‑25‑1 overall, while the Colonels improves to 23‑15 on the season.
 
Wilkes opened the scoring in the top of the first inning, plating an unearned run after capitalizing on a defensive miscue. King's answered in the bottom of the second, as Jordan Andino reached base before Noah Gesford delivered a ground‑rule double to left‑center, driving in Andino to knot the game at 1-1.
 
Connor Reynolds settled in after the opening frame and delivered a strong stretch on the mound for King's. The right‑hander retired 11 consecutive Wilkes hitters, keeping the Colonels off the scoreboard through the middle innings and allowing the Monarchs to remain within striking distance. Reynolds worked efficiently, mixing his pitches and inducing weak contact as the game stayed tied into the sixth.
 
The Colonels broke the deadlock in the top of the sixth with an RBI single to regain the lead, then pulled away in the seventh inning by scoring three runs, aided by defensive errors. Wilkes added two more runs in the ninth to extend the margin and close out the contest.
 
In the top of the eighth inning, freshman Miles Carey was immediately tested defensively after entering the game at shortstop. Carey dove to his right to snare a sharp groundball, popped to his feet, and fired across the diamond to first base for the opening out of the frame.
 
King's mounted a late threat in the bottom of the ninth inning, as Noah Gesford led off with his second ground‑rule double of the afternoon and Wyatt Moore followed by working a walk to put two runners aboard with one out. Wilkes, however, responded by inducing a line‑drive double play to erase the rally and seal the 7–1 victory.
 
Reynolds took the loss for King's after allowing four runs, one earned, over 6.1 innings while striking out five. Gesford finished with two of the Monarchs' three hits - both coming as ground‑rule doubles - and drove in the lone run for King's.