MARCH 28, 2004
BOB ZIADIEKOTULA HURLS GEM AS KING'S SOFTBALL SPLITS WITH NATIONALLY-RANKED CORTLAND
WILKES-BARRE -- Freshman hurler Nikki Kotula posted her most impressive collegiate pitching performance to date as she helped the King's College softball team to a doubleheader split with nationally-ranked Cortland State University Sunday at Betzler Fields.
King's dropped the opener 5-1 before Kotula twirled a complete-game four-hitter against the seventh-ranked team nationally in Division III. The split enabled the Lady Monarchs to improve to 15-3 on the year. Cortland, which was 42-8-1 a year ago and finished fifth in the 2003 College World Series, is now 11-3.
In the nightcap, King's took a 1-0 lead in the third inning when Linda Manarchuck singled and scored on a double from Maria Zangardi. Kings' would add another run in the fourth inning when Kotula and Christen Piccola hit back-to-back singles. Kelley Vaxmonsky would then deliver an RBI single to drive in Kotula and give King's a 2-0 lead.
The Lady Monarchs would extend their lead to 4-0 in the fifth inning when Stacey Preambo singled and Kristin Brady followed with a towering home run, her sixth of the year. Kotula, meanwhile, dominated the red Dragons, holding Cortland to just one base hit entering the sixth inning. The Red Dragons would push across their lone run in the final inning when pinch hitter Megan Dore singled and would eventually score on a fielder's choice.
Kotula struck out five batters and walked three in going the distance. She also went 2-for-3 at the plate and scored a run to help her own cause. Piccola was also 2-for-3 while Manarchuck and Zangardi went 2-for-4 as the Lady Monarchs banged out 12 hits.
In the opener took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a solo home run from Lara Stone. After the Red Dragons added a run in the third, Cortland upped the lead to 5-0 with three more runs in the fifth thanks to a three-run double from Erin Bock.
The Lady Monarchs scored their lone run in the seventh inning when Piccola's RBI single plated pinch runner Nicole Conger. Sarah Genewski fell to 7-2 with the loss despite a strong effort. The King's junior allowed seven hits and struck out three batters in defeat.
King's will next host Elizabethtown College Monday at 2:00 p.m. at Betzler Fields.
King's College
133 North River Street Wilkes-Barre, PA 18711
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Questions or comments to: Bob Ziadie, King's College Sports Information Director
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