APRIL 23, 2005
BOB ZIADIEKING'S SOFTBALL SPLITS WITH DESALES
WILKES-BARRE -- Nikki Kotula pitched a three-hitter and went 2-for-3 with a home run and scored three runs to enable the King's College softball team to post a 6-2 victory over DeSales University to salvage a sweep Saturday at Betzler Fields.
King's, which dropped the first game to DeSales by a 5-4 count, improved to 26-8 on the year and 9-3 in Freedom Conference play. DeSales fell to 12-17 and 4-6 in league games.
In the nightcap, the game stood at 1-1 in the fourth when Kotula drilled a pitch over the left field fence to give the Lady Monarchs a 2-1 lead. King's carried the momentum into the fifth inning and pushed across four more runs to take command. Kate Shiffer led off the inning with a single where Cassy Shiffer followed to drill a two-run home run to left centerfield. Kelley Vaxmonsky would later scored on a single by Stacey Preambo, followed by a run-scoring single from Kristin Brady.
Cassy Shiffer and Preambo were both 2-for-3 with two RBI. Kotula, who struck out four batters, improved to 10-3 on the year.
In the first game, King's led 2-1 entering the fifth inning but the Bulldogs scored two runs when Val Valach tripled and later scored on a King's error. Jennine Mara then delivered an RBI double to give DeSales a 3-2 lead. In the sixth inning, The Bulldogs added two more runs when Jen Rau hit a solo home run, followed by a double from Valach, who would later score on another King's error to extend the lead to 5-2.
King's would attempt to rally when Cassy Shiffer reached base on a one-out single and moved to third on a double from Kotula. Preambo then delivered a two-out, two-run double to bring the Lady Monarchs to within 5-4. But Kristin Brady's fly ball to centerfield would end the game.
The Lady Monarchs, who had 11 hits in the opener, were led by Vaxmonsky who was 3-for-4 with two runs. Kotula and Preambo were both 2-for-4. Sarah Genewski took the pitching loss for the Lady Monarchs.
Valach led DeSales with three hits while Mara and Jen Murray added two hits each for the Bulldogs.
King's will next host Susquehanna University Monday at 3:00 p.m. at Betzler Fields
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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