APRIL 3, 2004
BOB ZIADIE
KING'S BASEBALL SWEEPS SCRANTON, 10-3
and 7-3
WILKES-BARRE -- The King's College
baseball team swept a doubleheader from the University of Scranton
Saturday at Betzler Fields. The Monarchs won the first game 10-3 before
capturing the nightcap 7-3. The victories also enabled the Monarchs to
sweep the three-game season series with Scranton.
In the process, the Monarchs improved
to 10-6-1 and 5-3 in the Freedom Conference while Scranton fell to 2-16
and 1-5.
In the first game, Scranton would take
a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Brian Grady singled and later scored
on a sacrifice fly by Dominic McNulty. The Royals added another run in the
fourth when Mike Urbanovich singled and eventually scored on an infield
ground out by McNulty.
King's would answer with six runs in
the fifth inning. Mike Venarchick led off with a double, followed by a
walk to Vince Budzyn. Both runners advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Jason
Seibert before Bill Drazdowski was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Nick
Sorino would then drive in a run on a fielder’s choice to get the
Monarchs on the board. Charlie Jenkins then drilled a three-run triple to
give King's a 4-3 advantage. Josh Faust followed with an RBI single before
Geoff Ashton belted a run-scoring double as King's built a 6-4 lead.
Scranton would respond with a run in
the sixth when Urbanovich doubled and scored on an RBI single from
McNulty.
King's countered with four more runs in
the bottom half of the sixth inning. Budzyn and Seibert delivered
consecutive singles before Drazdowski walked to load the bases. Budzyn and
Seibert would score on back-to-back wild pitches while Drazdowski scored
on an infield grounder by Josh Faust. Geoff Ashton pushed across the final
run with an RBI single.
Matt Loringer picked up the
complete-game win for King's, scattering nine hits and striking out four.
Jenkins, Faust, and Ashton had two hits each for the Monarchs.
Urbanovich was 2-for-3 and scored two
runs for the Royals while McNulty had all three Scranton RBI. Urbanovich
also took the pitching loss, allowing eight runs in five innings while
striking out four.
In the nightcap, the Monarchs took a
1-0 lead in the second when Josh Faust singled and later scored on a base
hit from twin brother Jeremy Faust. King's upped the lead to 5-0 with a
four-run third inning. Drazdowski and Sorino singled before Jenkins and
Jeremy Faust delivered consecutive RBI base hits. Jenkins would score from
third on a wild pitch before Adam Tkaczyk drove home Faust with a single.
Scranton responded with three runs in
the fourth. Mike Cottone singled and scored on a triple from Mike Graziano.
Brian Grady walked and stole second base before Dennis Johnson stroked a
two-run double to bring the Royals to within 5-3.
King's would extend the lead with a run
in the bottom half of the fourth when Drazdowski singled and scored on a
double by Jenkins. The Monarchs added the game's final run when Ashton
singled and later scored on a base hit from Tkaczyk.
Drazdowski had three hits to lead
King's while Jenkins and Josh Faust had two hits apiece. Monarch freshman
pitcher Paul Bankit improved to 3-0 with the win, allowing four hits and
striking out four batters.
Cottone had two hits to pace Scranton
while Mike Urbanovich was tagged with the loss, allowing six runs while
striking out four batters.
The Monarchs will travel to Dallas to
face College Misericordia on Monday at 3:30 p.m.
