BASEBALL

DALLAS -- Jon Venarchick's RBI double in the seventh inning propelled the King's College baseball team to a 7-7 tie with host Misericordia University Wednesday in Dallas.

The game was halted in the middle of the eighth inning due to darkness.

With the tie, King's now stands at 17-17-1, while Misericordia moved to 12-21-1

King's took a 2-0 lead in the first inning when Venarchick singled, Pat McGlynnn reached base on a fielder's choice, and Gracjan Kraszewski smacked a two-run double.

After the Cougars took a 3-2 lead after three innings, King's responded with four runs in the top of the fourth inning. Sean Rooney and Dan Jenkins led off the inning with back-to-back walks, followed by a Cougar error to load the bases. Matt Livoy would then deliver a two-run single while Venarchick stroked a two-run double to give the Monarchs a 6-3.

After Misericordia took a7-6 lead with two runs in the bottom half of the fourth and fifth innings, King's would tie the score in the seventh.

Livoy would crack a leadoff triple before Venarchick followed with an RBI double to tie the score at 7-7.

The game would be called before the completion of the eighth inning as the teams settled for a tie.

Venarchick finished the game 3-for-4 with three RBI and one run while Livoy was 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBI to pace the Monarch attack.

Eric Matula was the starting pitcher for King's, going four innings and allowing five runs, four earned, on seven hits. Ryan Tychinski pitched one inning, allowing two earned runs on three hits. John McNichol and Mark Yankowski pitched one scoreless inning each.

King's will wrap up its Freedom Conference schedule over the weekend when the Monarchs play a three-game series with first-place Manhattanville College. King's travels to Purchase, NY for a 4:00 p.m. single game on Friday before returning home to face the Valiants in a 1:00 p.m. doubleheader Saturday at Betzler Fields.