MAY 3, 2002
BOB ZIADIEKING'S POSTS 3-1 WIN OVER SCRANTON TO ADVANCE TO MAC FREEDOM FINALS
WILKES-BARRE -- Junior shortstop Jess Harvey drove in all three runs and the host King's College softball team overcame a three-hot effort to post a 3-1 victory over the University of Scranton in the MAC Freedom Conference Championships second-round Friday at Robert L. Betzler Fields.
With the win, King's improved to 33-8-1 and advanced to the MAC Freedom final Saturday. Scranton fell to 14-19 and slides into the loser's bracket of the double-elimination event.
The Lady Monarchs jumped out to a quick 2-0 first-inning lead when Lisa Rizzo drew a one-out walk and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Maria Zangardi. The switch-hitting Harvey then went to bat from the left side of the plate where she drilled a two-run home run over the left-centerfield fence to give King's an early advantage.
Scranton would cut the lead to 2-1 in the fourth when Tracy Granozio walked, then stole second base. Megan Wasilik then stroked a double to centerfield to score Granozio.
King's would counter in the sixth when Michele Dlugosz led off with a walk. The Lady Monarch senior would then steal second base and advance to third on a Lady Royal error on the attempt. Two batters later, Harvey added an insurance run with a clutch single up the middle to bring home Dlugosz and push the lead to 3-1.
Scranton attempted to rally when King's pitcher Sarah Genewski walked both Katie Florkiewicz and Abby Crowley with one out. Lady Monarch coach Lisa Gigliello then went to the bullpen and brought in ace hurler Karen Ball.
But Shalissa Dougherty reached base on an infield single to load the bases. Vanessa Esposito then flied out to shallow right field for the second out before Granozio's sharp grounder was scooped by Harvey at short and the King's junior ended the game by tagging out Dougherty on her way to third base as the Lady Monarchs held on for the victory.
Genewski picked up the win for King's in allowing just five hits and striking out two batters. Rhodes was the hard-luck loser in tossing a three-hitter and posting six strikeouts.
King's advances to the championship Saturday at 1:00 p.m. where it will play the survivor of Drew, Lycoming, and Scranton who all have one loss each in the double-elimination event.
Drew battles Lycoming at 9:00 a.m. with the winner facing Scranton at 11:00 a.m. The winner will then play King's at 1:00 p.m. and must beat the Lady Monarchs twice to claim the conference title while King's needs just one win to earn its third straight title and gain the automatic berth into the NCAA Division III National Tournament.
King's College
133 North River Street Wilkes-Barre, PA 18711
1 (888) KINGS PA
Questions or comments to: Bob Ziadie, King's College Sports Information Director
Best if viewed with Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 or higher.