BASEBALL

WILKES-BARRE -- Caleb Calarco tossed a four-hitter as the King's College baseball team defeated the University of Scranton 7-2 in the first game of a Freedom Conference doubleheader, but the Monarchs committed seven errors in the nightcap as the Royals rebounded for an 18-6 victory to gain a split Saturday at Connell Park.

King's, which won the three game series from Scranton 2-1, improved to 21-6 overall and 12-4 in the Freedom Conference. Scranton, meanwhile, stands at 9-18 and 4-7 in league play.

In the opener, Calarco (6-2) was outstanding in limiting the Royals to just four hits and one earned run while striking out four batters to earn the complete game victory.

The Monarchs scored one run in first inning when Jon Venarchick doubled and scored on a single by older brother Mike Venarchick. King's added a run in the second inning when Phil Moskowitz reached base on a fielders choice and later scored on a single by Vince Budzyn.

King's broke the game open in the third when Jon Venarchick tripled and scored on a single by Calarco, who would steal second and move to third on a wild pitch. After Mike Venarchick walked and moved to second on a wild pitch, Jeremy Faust followed with a two-run single. J.R. Graver would walk, to set up a two-run double by Budzyn to give the Monarchs a 7-0 lead.

Mike Venarchick led the way in the opener by going 3-for-3 while Budzyn was 3-for-4 with three RBI. Jon Venarchick went 3-for-5 with two runs while Faust was 2-for-4 with two RBI.

In the nightcap, Scranton held a 4-3 lead in the fourth when three Monarch errors contributed to nine Royal runs. Two more King's errors in the fifth cost the Monarchs again as Scranton score five times to put the game away. The seven errors by King's proved costly as just six of Scranton's 18 runs in the game were earned.

Still, the Royals managed 15 hits, led by Mike Graziano with a 3-for-4, four RBI effort.

Calarco, Jon Venarchick, had two hits, with each smacking a home run, while Pat McGlynn also added two hits. Paul Giovannoli took the loss for King's allowing seven runs, four that were earned, in three and one-third innings.