MAY 10, 2002
BOB ZIADIEKING’S SOFTBALL SPLITS WITH ITHACA, HUNTER IN NCAA PLAYOFF OPENERS
ITHACA, NY – The King’s College softball team dropped its first game of the 2002 NCAA East Region Championships, but came back in a big win in the consolation bracket to finish at 1-1 after the first day of competition at Ithaca College.
In the opener, King’s dropped a 2-0 decision to Ithaca, before routing Hunter 15-1 in five innings in the second contest.
Against Ithaca, Abby Hanrahan tossed a four-hitter and struck out a career-high 15 batters in the Bombers victory over King’s. With the win,
Ithaca improved to 32-12 and moved into the second round of the championship bracket, while the Lady Monarchs fell to 34-9-1 and dropped into the losers’ bracket of the double-elimination event.
In the bottom of the first inning, Ithaca took a 1-0 lead when Kristin Furdon stroked an opposite field shot over the right field fence with two outs to put the Bombers on top.
King’s would attempt to counter in the second inning when Stacey Preambo led off with a double and moved to third on an infield ground out by Katie Seguin. But Hanrahan struck on Sarah Genewski and Kim Ball to get out of the jam.
In the bottom of the second, Ithaca extended their lead to 2-0 when Alison Cole drilled another opposite field line drive over the right field fence for a solo home run.
King’s would again threaten in the fourth when Maria Zangardi singled and advanced to third on a two-out base hit by Katie Seguin. But Hanrahan would again escape trouble when she struck out Genewski to end the inning.
The Lady Monarchs’ final chance came in the sixth when Lisa Rizzo singled, but Hanrahan struck out two of the next three batters to end the inning.
Karen Ball took the pitching loss for King’s, pitching a solid five-hitter, but surrendered both home runs by the Bombers.
The Lady Monarchs rebounded in the second game behind the three-hit pitching of freshman Sarah Genewski.
King’s (35-9-1) took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Lisa Rizzo drew a walk and later scored on an infield grounder by Jess Harvey.
The Lady Monarchs would then push across four runs in the second when Katie Seguin and Genewski walked, before Karen Ball was hit with a pitch to load the bases. Linda Manarchuck and Michele Dlugosz both registered bases-loaded walks to bring home a pair of runs, before Harvey drilled a three-run double to left centerfield to push the lead to 6-0.
After Hunter (25-13) scored a run in the third, King’s responded with a five-run fourth. Dlugosz walked, moved to third on a force out attempt at second base, then scored on a wild pitch. Maria Zangardi would then follow with an RBI single. After Zangardi was out after being hit on a hard grounder by Jess Harvey, Stacey Preambo singled to give King’s runners at second and third. Seguin the followed with a two-run double before Genewski singled to give King’s an 11-1 lead.
In the fifth, the Lady Monarchs put the game away with four more runs. Dlugosz walked an stole second before Rizzo walked. Both runners would advance on a wild pitch and Dlugosz would then score from third on a passed ball. Zangardi then walked before Harvey stroked an RBI single to push the lead to 13-1. Zangardi then scored on a wild pitch as Harvey moved to third. Preambo would bring home King’s final run when she lofted a sacrifice fly to plate Harvey.
Harvey led King’s with two hits while Genewski upped her pitching record to 14-3.
The Lady Monarchs will next face Manhattanville College Saturday at 1:00 p.m. with the loser being eliminated from the 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
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