MARCH 15, 2016

PADDEN HITS TWO HOME RUNS AND COMES A TRIPLE SHORT OF THE CYCLE AGAINST SUMMIT

WILKES-BARRE, PA --- King's College sophomore Sean Padden was a perfect 5-for-5 at the plate with two home runs to lead the Monarch baseball team to a 10-5 victory over visiting Summit University in the team's home opener at Lipo Field on Tuesday afternoon. Padden knocked in five runs and was just a triple short of hitting for the cycle.

The Monarchs improved to 8-3 with the win while Summit fell to 1-9 this season.

The Defenders got on the board first when they executed a double steal with runners on the corners and two outs in the first inning. The Monarchs responded in the bottom of the inning when Chris Rebar singled to center, advanced to second when Bruce Breithaupt drew a walk, and then scored when Padden hit an RBI double to right center. After a walk to Kyle Lupas loaded the bases Christian Pack gave King's a 2-1 lead when he hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Breithaupt.

Summit retook the lead in the third with a two run double to left centerfield. In the bottom of the inning Padden hit a leadoff single to center, advanced to second when Lupas was hit by a pitch, moved to third on Pack's sacrifice bunt, and then scored the game tying run when Zack Godfrey grounded out to second. The following inning Padden gave the Monarchs the lead for good when he hit a three-run bomb to left field with two outs scoring Breithaupt and Chris Lupole.

Rebar gave the Monarchs a 7-3 lead in the sixth with his fourth home run of the year to right field. Two batters later Padden hit his second home run of the game to left field to increase the lead to 8-3. The Monarchs increased the lead to 10-3 in the seventh inning when Tom Gibbons hit a double to right centerfield to score Brad Wilkins and Godfrey.

The Defenders scored once in the eighth to cut the lead to 10-4. In the bottom of the inning Padden led off the inning needing just a single for the cycle. On a 2-0 count he took advantage of a fastball and hit the ball into the left centerfield gap. Unfortunately he was unable to get the elusive triple when he was thrown out at third trying to stretch his double into a triple.

In the top of the ninth Summit hit three straight singles to load the bases and then after a foul out to the catcher drew a bases loaded walk to score a run. Not taking any chances the Monarchs brought in Zach Palansky to pitch. He shut the door on any chance of a comeback with a fly out to center and a strikeout to end the game and earn the save.

Sean Padden was a perfect 5-for-5 at the plate with two home runs, five RBIs, and three runs scored. Chris Rebar had two hits including his fourth career home run while Tom Gibbons had two hits and two RBIs. Christian Pack had two hits and an RBI and Zack Godrey scored a run and knocked in one.

On  the mound Anthony Peacock got the win in relief pitching a very effective three innings allowing just three hits and striking out one. Jared Smigelski started the game and pitched two innings allowing one run on two hits with one walk and one strikeout. Connor Balloun pitched two innings giving up two runs on five hits with one strikeout while Chris Marconi pitched the eighth allowing one run on one hit with one walk and struck out one. Dan Hartson faced five batters in the ninth allowing one run on three hits and one walk. Zack Palansky entered the game with one out and the bases loaded in the ninth and got the save getting both batters he faced out on seven pitches.

King's will be back in action on Thursday when they host Penn State Worthington Scranton at Lipo Field at 4:00 p.m.