MARCH 25, 2006
KING'S SOFTBALL SWEEPS DESALES - 7-5, 6-3
CENTER VALLEY -- The King's College softball team remained unbeaten in Freedom Conference play as the Lady Monarchs posted a doubleheader sweep of DeSales University Saturday in Center Valley.
King's won the first game 7-5 in eight innings before taking the nightcap 6-3.
With the wins, the Lady Monarchs improved to 13-3 overall and 4-0 in conference play. DeSales, meanwhile, slipped to 4-8 and 0-2.
In the opener, King's trailed 5-2 heading into the top of the seventh inning. Cassy Shiffer would lead off with a single before Kelsey Shreaves' base hit moved pinch runner Nicole Conger to second. Freshman Abbey Knoblauch would later come through with a two-out, two-run double to cut the DeSales lead to 5-4. Justine Maggio then delivered an RBI single to center field to send the game into extra innings.
In the eighth inning, Mari Valonis led off with a single and moved to second on a throwing error. Kate Shiffer would double, scoring Valonis, to give King's a 6-5 lead. After an infield out moved Shiffer to third, Shreaves delivered base hit to drive in another run and give the Lady Monarchs a 7-5 advantage.
Shreaves, who came in to pitch in the sixth inning, allowed a leadoff walk in the bottom of the eighth, but then retired the next three batters to seal the win.
King's, which out hit DeSales 10-to-7 in the opener, was led by Valonis, Knoblauch, Maggio, Shreaves, and Kate Shiffer who posted two hits each.
In the second game, Kings took a 2-0 first inning lead when Knoblauch led off with a single while Nikki Kotula reached base on an error. Knoblauch would steal home to give King's a 1-0 lead before Valonis ripped an RBI double to right field for the second run of the inning.
After DeSales scored in the second, the Lady Monarchs answered with a run in the third. Knoblauch would single up the middle and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Maggio. Valonis then delivered a two-out RBI single to centerfield to give the Lady Monarchs a 3-1 lead.
King's added a run in the fifth when Knoblauch posted her third single of the game and moved to third on a double by Maggio. Kotula then lofted a sacrifice fly to right field to bring home Knoblauch and give King's a 4-1 lead.
DeSales would score a run in each of the fifth and sixth inning to close to within 4-3 but King's would put the game away in the seventh.
After Maggio reached base on an error, Valonis came through with a two-run home run, her sixth of the season, to seal the victory.
Knoblauch was 3-for-4 with three runs, while Valonis was also 3-for-4 with four RBI. Amanda Rizner picked up the pitching decision for King's, improving to 4-0 on the year. Rizner allowed two runs, one earned, on six hits in four and a third innings of work. Shreaves pitched the final two and two-thirds to register the save.
King's will host Division III National power Cortland State University Sunday at 1:00 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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