MARCH 26, 2006
KING'S SOFTBALL SWEEPS 14TH RANKED CORTLAND STATS AS VALONIS BELTS TWO HOME RUNS WITH EIGHT RBI IN NIGHTCAP
WILKES-BARRE -- The King's College softball team posted their most significant victories of the season as the Lady Monarchs posted a doubleheader sweep over 14th ranked Cortland State University Sunday at Betzler Fields.
King's rallied to win the first game 4-3, before taking the nightcap 11-7. The sweep improves the Lady Monarchs to 15-3 on the year while Cortland slips to 10-4.
In the first game, King's took a 1-0 lead when Abbey Knoblauch singled and later scored on a base hit up the middle by Mari Valonis. Cortland would then score a run in each of the second, third, and fourth innings to build a 3-1 lead.
King's cut the margin to 3-2 in the fifth Kelsey Shreaves led off the inning with a walk. After a sacrifice bunt by Annie Drimones moved pinch runner Nicole Conger to second, Knoblauch was intentionally walked by all-American pitcher Stephanie Adamshick. Justine Maggio then drew a walk to load the bases before Adamshick then walked Nikki Kotula to plate Conger.
The Lady Monarchs would tie the game up in the sixth when Kate Shiffer led off with a double. Pinch runner Kristin Liszewski then moved to third on a wild pitch before Cassy Shiffer stroke a single to center to knot the game at 3-3.
King's would push across the winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning when Knoblauch drew a leadoff walk and moved to second on another bunt by Maggio. A wild pitch would then allow Knoblauch to reach third base. Kotula then grounded to second base and Knoblauch beat the throw home to score the winning run.
Knoblauch led King's offensively with a 2-for-2 effort while scoring two runs. Kotula was 0-3 but registered two RBI to help her pick up the pitching victory. The junior hurler scattered nine hits, allowing three runs, two which were earned, while striking out two batters.
In the second game, King's scored four runs in the first after Knoblauch and Maggio singed, followed by a walk to Kotula. Valonis then drilled a three-run triple to right center while Cassy Shiffer followed with an RBI single.
After Cortland scored three runs in the top of the second, King's countered in their half of the inning when Knoblauch singled and later scored on a base hit by Maggio to give the Lady Monarchs a 5-3 lead. Cortland would plate two more runs in the third to tie the score at 5-5.
King's, however, would push across five runs in the decisive fourth inning hen Julie Bidwell and Leanne Harvey led off with consecutive walks and Knoblauch was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Maggio then lofted a sacrifice fly to left field to score Bidwell.
After Cortland brought in Adamshick in relied of starter Erin Brain, Valonis launched a towering home run deep over the left centerfield fence to give King's a 10-3 lead.
Cortland would cut the lead to 10-7 with two runs in the sixth, but Valonis put the game away in the bottom of the inning by belting a solo home run for the final run of the game.
Valonis finished the game 4-for-4 with eight RBI and scored three runs to pace the Lady Monarch attack. With two home runs in the game, Valonis registed her fifth home run of the week and eighth of the season. Knoblauch was 2-for-3 and scored three runs while Maggio added two hits.
Kelsey Shreaves picked up the pitching win in relief of starter Amanda Rizner, allowing four runs, three which were earned, in five and two-thirds inning.
King's will next face defending Pennsylvania Conference champion College Misericordia Wednesday at 2:30 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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