APRIL 28, 2017

KING'S BASEBALL SWEEPS FDU, INCHES CLOSER TO FREEDOM TOURNEY BERTH

WILKES-BARRE --  The King's College baseball team combined for 21 runs on 35 base hits, including 11 doubles, as the Monarchs inched closer to securing a MAC Freedom Conference Tournament berth with a doubleheader sweep of visiting FDU-Florham Saturday at Lipo Field.  

Led by Christian Pack's 7-for-8 effort, King's won the first game 10-0 before taking the nightcap 11-5. 

Combined with Friday's 6-3 win at FDU, King's swept the season series 3-0 to 18-15 overall and 11-7 in conference play with three games remaining. FDU, meanwhile, fell to 12-19 and 6-12.

Currently in sole possession of third place, King's holds a one- game lead over Manhattanville (10-8) and a three-game over Eastern (8-10).  King's plays Eastern in a three-game series Friday and Saturday.  

The top four teams qualify for the league tournament and should King's and Manhattanville finish in a tie, the Monarchs hold the tie-breaker based on King's winning the regular-season series 2-1.

In the opener, the Monarchs scored four runs in each of the third and sixth innings while banging out 16 base hits, including seven doubles.

Christian Pack led King's by going 4-for-4 with a double, three runs, and a RBI. Chris Rebar was 3-for-4 with two doubles, and two RBI while Sean Stone finished 3-for-4 with two doubles and three RBI. Dan Hartson went 2-for-4 with a double and two runs.

Nick Deno improved to 5-3 on the year by throwing a six-hit shout out with seven strikeouts and only allowed one FDU batter to reach as far as second-base.

In the nightcap King's registered 19 base hits and four more doubles.  A six-run second inning by King's helped set the stage for the sweep.

Pack was 2-for-4 with a double, two runs, and two RBI while Bruce Breithaupt finished 3-for-4 with two doubles and four RBI. Stone went 3-for-4 while Rebar was 2-for-2 with a double and two RBI. Tom Gibbons added a 3-for-4, one-RBI effort.

John Wickiser picked up the pitching victory in relief for King's, going the final three and one-third innings without allowing a hit and striking out six batters.

King's will next host Eastern on Friday at 3:30 PM before traveling to St. Davids for a 1:00 PM twin bill.