APRIL 9, 2005
BOB ZIADIE
VALONIS' TWO HOME RUNS POWERS KING'S SOFTBALL TO SWEEP OF DREW
WILKES-BARRE -- Sophomore Mari Valonis drilled two home runs, the second forging a 2-2 in the bottom of the seventh inning of game-two to lead the King's College softball team to an important doubleheader sweep of Drew University Saturday at Betzler Fields.
The lady Monarchs won the first game 11-3 in six innings, then rallied to win the nightcap 3-2. With the sweep, King's improved to 18-4 overall and 6-0 in the Freedom Conference. Drew slipped to 9-6 and 0-2 in conference action.
With King's trailing 2-0 with one out in the second game, Kristin Brady drew a one-out walk to bring Valonis to the plate. The Lady Monarch first-baseman would launch a towering home run, deep over the 220-foot centerfield fence to bring the game to a sudden 2-2 tie. It marked the seventh home run of the season for the King's standout.
After Kate Shiffer reached base on an error, Leanne Harvey would double to give King's runners at second and third with one out. Sarah Genewski would then fly out to short centerfield for the second out of the inning. Kelley Vaxmonsky would then hit a hard ground ball in the hole where Drew shortstop Jen McGroarty would attempt to secure the final out of the inning. The ball, however, would bounce off McGroarty's glove, allowing pinch runner Ashley Sullivan to score the winning run.
Valonis was 2-for-2 in the game with a double while Nikki Kotula (6-2) picked up the pitching win, allowing two unearned runs on just three hits while striking out four batters.
In the opener, King's scored four runs in the first inning, keyed by a double from Kotula and an RBI single from Stacey Preambo, along with three walks and a hit batter. In the third inning, King's extended the lead to 6-0 when Preambo walked and Valonis followed with a home run over the left centerfield fence.
After pushing across three runs in the fifth, the Lady Monarchs invoked the eight-run mercy rule in the sixth when Kotula walked and Preambo singled, followed by a two-run triple from Valonis. In the game, Valonis went 2-for-2 with four RBI. Preambo was 2-for-2 and scored three runs while Kotula was 1-for-3 and scored two runs.
Sarah Genewski (6-1) won the opener, allowing three runs on seven hits while striking out five batters
For the day, Valonis was 4-for-4 with two home runs, a triple, a double, six RBI and drew three walks without making an out.
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Questions or comments to: Bob Ziadie, King's College Sports Information Director
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