MARCH 27, 2004
BOB ZIADIE
KING'S BASEBALL SPLITS WITH
DEFENDING FREEDOM CHAMPION DESALES, WINS SEASON SERIES 2-1
WILKES-BARRE -- Adam Tkaczyk came
through with a clutch run-scoring single with one out in the bottom of the
eighth inning as the King's College baseball team defeated DeSales
University 4-3 in the second game of a Freedom Conference doubleheader
Saturday at Betzler Fields.
The win enabled the Monarchs to salvage
a split as DeSales captured the first game 4-3 in eight innings. With the
victory, King's also won the seasons series 2-1 over the four-time
defending conference champion Bulldogs. The Monarchs won their first
meeting 17-14 on Wednesday. The split moved the Monarchs to 7-4 overall
and 2-1 in Freedom Conference action while DeSales is 5-6 and 1-2.
In the nightcap, the teams entered
extra innings for the second straight game deadlocked in a 2-2 tie after
seven innings. In the bottom of the eighth inning, senior Charlie Jenkins
led off with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from Jeremy
Faust. Geoff Ashton would then single, moving pinch runner Kevin
Maccarella to third base. After Ashton stole second base, Tkaczyk drilled
a hard one hopper off the leg of DeSales third baseman Bill Markham to
drive in Macarella with the winning run.
King's took a 1-0 lead in the first
when Vince Budzyn double and later scored on a sacrifice fly from Nick
Sorino. DeSales tied the score in the third on a solo home run from Nolan
Neiman. The Monarchs recaptured a 2-1 lead in the bottom half of the
inning when Dan Buckley doubled and scored on an infield ground out from
Bill Drazdowski. DeSales would knot the score at 2-2 in the fifth when Ian
Hauze singled and would eventually score on a sacrifice fly from Mike
Cohan.
King's freshman Paul Bankit picked up
the complete game victory, allowing seven hits and striking out four
batters.
In the opening game, King's trailed 3-2
heading into their final at-bats. Ashton would deliver a one-out double
and moved to third on a wild pitch. Tkaczyk would then stroke an RBI
single to send the game into extra innings.
In the top of the ninth inning, DeSales
would score the eventual game-winning run when Mickey Csedrik singled and
stole second base. Hauze would then come through with an RBI double to
give the Bulldogs a 4-3 lead.
King's would attempt to answer when Rob
Medlock reached base on a one-out single and moved to third base on a base
hit from Joshua Faust. But with two out, DeSales relief pitcher Matt
Gardner induced Budzyn to fly out to right field to end the game.
Garner earned the win in tossing two
scoreless innings in relief of starter Anthony Palmieri who allowed five
hits and three runs in seven innings of work. Monarch hurler Chris Persak
was the hard-luck loser, scattering 10 hits and while allowing four runs,
two which were earned, in going all nine innings. Sorino was 2-for-4 to
pace King's offensively.
King's will travel to Doylestown on
Sunday to face Delaware Valley College in a 12:00 noon doubleheader.
