MAY 4, 2002
BOB ZIADIE
THREE HOME RUNS IN SIXTH INNING PROPEL KING'S TO MAC FREEDOM SOFTBALL TITLE WITH 6-3 WIN OVER DREW
WILKES-BARRE -- Jess Harvey, Stacey Preambo, and Katie Seguin combined for three consecutive home runs in the sixth inning to power the King's College softball team to a 6-3 victory over Drew University in the MAC Freedom Conference championship game Saturday at Robert L. Betzler Fields in Wilkes-Barre.
King's (34-8-1) led 1-0 entering the top half of the sixth inning when Drew scored three runs to take the lead. But the Lady Monarchs countered immediately when Maria Zangardi led off the bottom half of the sixth with a double.
Harvey then came to bat and crushed a home run deep over the left centerfield fence to knot the score at 3-3. Preambo then followed with a towering shot of her own over the left field fence to give King's a 4-3 lead.
Seguin then came to bat and drilled a line drive to centerfield. Drew's Alex McCaffrey missed on a diving attempt to catch the ball which scooted to the fence, allowing Seguin to circle the bases for an inside-the-park home run, King's third straight round trip shot of the inning. Christen Piccola then drew a walk before Michele Dlugosz tripled to right centerfield to bring home the fifth run of the inning and give the Lady Monarchs a 6-3 lead.
In the Rangers' final at-bat, Allie Grill grounded out before Michelle Callen was out on an infield pop-up. Lady Monarch hurler Karen Ball then struck out Allie Robbins to end the game and give Kings its third straight MAC Freedom Conference title and earn the Lady Monarchs its third consecutive berth in the NCAA Division III National Tournament.
King's took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Preambo singled, followed by a walk to Seguin. Sarah Genewski then stroked a single up the middle to give the Lady Monarchs an early advantage.
Ball cruised along for King's, allowing just two Drew hits and two total base runners over the first five innings.
In the sixth, however, Drew (27-14) began to rally when Erica Cozine lofted a soft fly ball to second base, but Preambo lost the ball in the sunlight, allowing the Ranger shortstop to reach base on a single. Kristen Mignoli reached base on an infield single before Tara Duffy¹s sacrifice bunt advance both runners to second and third with one out. Shanna Peras then delivered an RBI single before McCaffrey tripled to right centerfield to plate two runs and give the Rangers a short-lived 3-1 lead.
Harvey's home run was her 11th of the season and second of the two-day tournament. Preambo¹s round tripper was her second of the tournament as well as the Lady Monarch freshman belted a game-winning solo shot in the eighth inning of King's 2-1 first-round win over Lycoming. In the three games King's played, Preambo led the Lady Monarchs with a .500 (5-10) average with two home runs, one double, three runs, three RBI.
Ball, meanwhile, enjoyed an outstanding tournament in going 2-0 while picking up a save. In three games pitched, the Lady Monarch senior posted a 1.72 ERA and struck out six batters in15 and two-third innings of work, while allowing just 11 base hits.
Dlugosz led King's offensively in the title game with a 3-for-4 effort while Preambo and Seguin had two hits each.
King's will now await word on whom and where it will play in the NCAA National Tournament¹s Regional Championships. The Lady Monarchs are expected to learn their destiny Sunday evening or Monday morning.
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
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