SOFTBALL

WILKES CAPTURES FREEDOM CONFERENCE SOFTBALL TITLE WITH DRAMATIC 4-3 WIN OVER KING’S IN EIGHT INNINGS

Click below for the official tournament web page:
http://www.wilkes.edu/pages/1305.asp

(Edwardsville, PA) – Allison Grohol hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the seventh inning to tie the game and Samantha Evanich added a solo homerun to lead off the bottom of the eighth inning and lift second-seeded Wilkes University to a 4-3 win over top-seed King’s College in the Freedom Conference championship game on Saturday afternoon at the Ralston Complex.

With the victory the Lady Colonels, who finished tournament play with a 3-0 record, improved to 26-13 overall and earned the conference’s automatic berth into the NCAA Division III Championship which is slated to begin on Thursday. King’s, which saw its string of six consecutive conference titles come to an end, saw their record fall to 36-7.

The Lady Monarchs will await word on a possible at-large berth into the NCAA Tournament when the field is announced on Monday morning. King's entered the weekend ranked third in the Mid-Atlantic Region and should receive strong consideration for at at-large bid.

King’s held a 3-0 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh inning. However, Wilkes would rally when Erin Plank reached on an error and Shelley Pheiff drew a one-out walk. Grohol then stepped to the plate and hit her three-run homer over the center field fence to knot the game at 3-3 and force extra innings.

Evanich, who pitched the final three innings in relief of starter Laurie Agresti, struck out the side in the top half of the eighth inning to keep the momentum with Wilkes. She then opened the bottom of the eighth with her school-record 12^th homer of the campaign to provide the Lady Colonels with the victory.

King’s took a 2-0 lead in the first against Wilkes star hurler Agresti. Justine Maggio singled and advanced to third on a double by Nikki Kotula. After Agresti fanned Mari Valonis for the second out, Kate Shiffer singled to score both Maggio and Kotula and put the Lady Monarchs on top.

King’s would tack on an additional run in the fifth to extend their lead to 3-0. Kotula cracked a one-out double and proceeded to steal third base. She would score on another single by Kate Shiffer to account for the final run for the Lady Monarchs.

Evanich, who was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player after going 2-0 on the mound with a 0.00 ERA and hitting a pair of homeruns, picked up the win after allowing only one hit and fanning seven in three innings of work. Kotula, who allowed only five hits in seven innings, suffered the loss for King’s.

Grohol had a triple to go along with her three-run homer to pace Wilkes offensively. Kate Shiffer had two singles and drove in all three runs for King’s. Kotula contributed two doubles, while Maggio and Kelsey Shreaves had two singles each.

For King's, it was a disappointing ending to a remarkable season, a year in which 12 freshmen joined a program that graduated five Freedom Conference all-stars from the 2005 title team.

With a squad losing a large portion of its top players, few thought the Lady Monarchs would contend for the conference crown. Now, with a 36-7 record, the Lady Monarchs more than surpassed expectations.

King’s advanced to the championship game with a 6-5 win over FDU-Florham (21-16) earlier in the day.

The Lady Monarchs trailed 5-4 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning before using a long-ball of their own to pull out the win.

Knoblauch led off with a single and went to second on a sacrifice by Maggio. After Kotula grounded out for the second out of the frame, Valonis connected for a two-run homer, her 11th of the year, that gave King’s a 6-5 lead.

FDU-Florham would try and bounce back in their final at bat in the seventh when Amanda Morrison doubled and Danielle Catanzaro singled to put runners on first and third with one out. However, Shreaves, who pitched the final three innings in relief of Kotula, got Jess Mantz to line into a double-play to end the game.

The Devils took a 4-0 lead in the second by scoring four times. Four straight singles by Tara Hulse, Morrison, Catanzaro and Mantz plated a run and left the bases loaded with no outs. One out later Kelly Nover drew a walk to force in a run and make it 2-0. After Kotula got Kristin Loriot on strikes for the second out, Jen Haas singled to score both Catanzaro and Mantz and provided the fourth-seeded Devils with a 4-0 advantage.

King’s would score twice in both the third and fourth innings to knot the game at 4-4. Maggio and Kotula both singled with one out in the third. After both runners moved up a base on a wild pitch, Valonis singled to score both runners and make it a 4-2 game.

Singles by Caitlyn McAndrew, Drimones and Knoblauch filled the bases with no outs in the fourth for the Lady Monarchs. Maggio lofted a sacrifice fly that scored McAndrew to cut the lead to 4-3. Drimones, who went to third on the fly out, scored on a ground ball by Kotula to tie the game at 4-4.

FDU-Florham would take their final lead with a single run in the fifth. Jess Cunningham walked and Hulse singled to open the inning. Cunningham then scored on a single by Morrison to make it 5-4. Shreaves then came on in relief of Kotula and got out of the jam to keep the Devils within range and set the stage for Valonis’ homerun.

Shreaves allowed three hits in three innings to pick up the pitching victory for King’s. Julie Hartnett, who was tagged for two runs and three hits in three innings of relief work, suffered the loss for FDU-Florham.

Valonis was one of six King’s players with two hits. She had a single and a homerun and drove in four. Knoblauch, Kotula, Kate Shiffer, Cassy Shiffer and McAndrew added two singles apiece for the Lady Monarchs, who finished with 14 hits in the contest.

Morrison had three hits, including a double, for the Devils, who had 13 hits in the game. Hulse and Catanzaro contributed three hits each, while Nover finished with a pair of hits.

FDU-Florham opened the day by eliminating third-seeded Lycoming College (12-13) with a 4-2 victory in ten innings, setting up its elimination game with King's.