SCRANTON, PA (April 9, 2026)—The King's College softball team worked a split with Marywood University on Thursday afternoon in a non-conference doubleheader. The Monarchs lost the first game by a score of 5-4 and bounced back in game two with a 6-3 victory. King's moves to 11-15 overall after the split while the Pacers now stand at 12-8.
 
Game 1 – L, 5–4
After a scoreless first, King's built early momentum with a three‑run second inning, taking advantage of traffic on the bases and productive contact. Ellie Higdon opened the frame with a single before Meghan Marianelli drew a walk, and a well‑executed bunt from Colleen Shuler moved both runners into scoring position. Makenzie Johnson put the Monarchs on the board with an RBI on a fielder's choice, and Brianna Kesslick brought in a second run on a grounder to the shortstop. Kara Krouse capped the inning with a clean RBI single up the middle to make it 3–0 midway through two.
 
King's added another run in the top of the third when Megan Matsko reached on a hit‑by‑pitch and advanced to third on a single from Higdon. Marianelli lifted a sacrifice fly to right to bring in Matsko and extend the lead to 4–0.
 
Marywood began to chip away in the bottom half, using a two‑run double to cut the King's lead in half. The Monarchs held that 4–2 advantage into the sixth following a scoreless fourth and fifth, but the Pacers pulled even with a pair of runs on a sacrifice bunt and a throwing error.
 
King's had a baserunner in the seventh after Krouse singled, but Marywood kept the inning contained. In the bottom half, the Pacers put together three straight baserunners, and an RBI single to left brought home the winning run.
 
Higdon led the Monarchs, going 2-for-3 with a run scored while Krouse added two hits and an RBI from the leadoff spot. Johnson and Kesslick each drove in a run as King's totaled six hits.
 
In the circle, Alyssa Fox went the distance, allowing nine hits and four earned runs across 86 pitches.
 
Game 2 – W, 6–3
King's opened the nightcap with steady pressure in the first inning, loading the bases on a walk and two singles before Larson forced in the game's first run. Veach followed with a sacrifice fly to center, giving the Monarchs a 2–0 lead before Marywood could settle in.
 
After a quiet second and third, King's threatened again in the fourth with three straight singles from Veach, Badali, and Wilson. Krouse pushed the lead to 3–0 with a base hit up the middle, and although Marywood cut down a runner at the plate, the Monarchs still came away with an insurance run.
 
Marywood answered with one in the bottom half, but vonFrisch limited the damage by stranding two runners and keeping the lead intact.
 
King's created separation in the fifth, capitalizing on an error and a walk to put a runner in scoring position. Veach delivered another RBI with a single up the middle, and a wild pitch brought home Larson to extend the margin. Badali added a sharp RBI single to make it 6–1, and the Monarchs carried that cushion into the late innings.
 
Marywood made a push in the sixth, using a leadoff single and a two‑run homer to trim the deficit to 6–3. The Pacers later put two runners in scoring position, but vonFrisch worked out of the jam with a strikeout to end the threat.
 
In the seventh, King's left two aboard, but the three‑run lead held in the bottom half. vonFrisch closed the game with a clean final frame, retiring the side in order to secure the complete‑game win.
 
The Monarchs finished with 13 hits, led by Veach (2-for-3, two RBI), Badali (3-for-3, RBI), Higdon (two hits), and Krouse (two hits, RBI). Fox added a single and a stolen base.
 
vonFrisch went the distance, scattering 10 hits and striking out five without issuing a walk across 108 pitches.
 
The Monarchs return to Betzler Field on Saturday, April 11, hosting FDU-Florham in a MAC-Freedom doubleheader with first pitch of game one set for 1:00 p.m.