BASEBALL

WILKES-BARRE -- The King's baseball team built a 5-1 lead and held off a late Delaware Valley College rally as the host Monarchs posted a 6-5 victory Tuesday at Betzler Fields.

With the win, King's improved to 7-7 overall and 3-3 in Freedom Conference play while the Aggie fell to 8-7 and 1-2 in league games.

King's would strike first in the bottom half of the first inning when J.R. Graver and Matt Livoy opened the game with singles. After an Aggie error loaded the bases, Pat McGlynn drove in a run withy an infield out. Matt Unger then followed with a two-run double down the left field line before Gracjan Kraszewski added an RBI single to give the Monarchs a 4-0 lead.

After Delaware Valley scored one run in the second, the Monarchs countered with a run in the bottom of the frame when Graver doubled and scored on a single by Jon Venarchick.

KIng's had ample opportunity to pad their lead but stranded seven runners over the first five innings to allow the Aggies to remain in the game. Delaware Valley wowuld later cut the lead to 5-2 with a run in the sixth, then took advantage of two Monarch errors in the seventh to add another run and close to within 5-3.

King's would add a much needed insurance run in the eighth when Kraszewski led off with a single. Graver would come up big when his two-out base hit up the middle would drive in Matt Fignar to give the Monarchs a 6-3 lead.

In the ninth, the Aggies posted four base hits and closed to 6-5 on the strength of a two-run single by Kyle Bobb, but King's relief pitcher Mark Yankowski induced an infield ground out to end the game.

Eric Matula (1-1) picked up the win for King's, allowing two earned runs on seven hits with five strikeouts. Graver was 3-for-5 at the plate with two runs and an RBI. Kraszewski was 3-for-4 with an RBI while Matt Colgan was 2-for-3 to pace the Monarchs 13-hit attack.

Bobb led Delaware Valley with four base hits while Aggie starter Dan Metague (2-1) took the pitching loss, allowing five runs, three earned, in four innings.