SCRANTON, Pa. – In a game highlighted by offense, The University of Scranton baseball team got the big hits it needed late to rally past King's College, 16-13, on Tuesday afternoon at Connell Park. Junior shortstop Tim LeCompte (Philadelphia, Pa./Roman Catholic) led the way with two doubles, five RBIs and three runs scored for the Royals.
The Royals (14-13) banged out 13 hits, one more than the Monarchs (11-18). Scranton scored nine times in its final two innings at the plate, overcoming a 13-7 deficit after six innings.
Junior catcher Michael Amaturo (Rye, N.Y./Rye) finished with three hits, three runs scored and two RBIs, senior right fielder Sean Butler (Dickson City, Pa./Scranton) had two hits and two runs scored and freshman left fielder Ross Danzig (Clarks Green, Pa./Abington Heights/Blair Academy) had two hits, an RBI and a run scored.
King's scored five runs in the top of the first, but Scranton answered with three in the bottom half, one in the second and two more in the third to take a 6-5 lead. LeCompte's two-run double was the big blow in the first inning and Amaturo matched the feat in the third.
The teams traded runs in the fourth inning before King's scored once in the fifth and six times in the sixth to seemingly take control. Junior shortstop Rob Lemoncelli (West Pittston, Pa./Pittston Area) and junior right fielder Eric Bohem (Stewartsville, N.J./Phillipsburg) each had two runs singles in the sixth.
The Royals turned to junior righty Matt Mosko (Hillsborough, N.J./Hillsborough) on the mound, and he came through in a big way. Mosko tossed 3 2/3 innings, allowing just one run on three hits while striking out six the rest of the way for his first win of the season.
Scranton knotted the score at 13 by pushing six runs across in the seventh inning, and the entire rally started with two outs and nobody on base. Senior third baseman Matt Rayha (Willow Street, Pa./Penn Manor) started the comeback with an RBI single. Butler stole home on the back end of a double steal and the Royals added runs on a wild pitch and an error to pull within two at 13-11. LeCompte provided the final blow of the inning with his second two-run double of the game.
The Royals went right back to work in the eighth, as freshman center fielder Michael Umerich (Clarks Summit, Pa./Abington Heights) ripped an RBI double for a 14-13 lead. They added insurance runs on an RBI fielder's choice by senior second baseman Jesse Outhouse (Croton Falls, N.Y./North Salem) and an RBI single by LeCompte.
Umerich finished the game with four runs scored, Outhouse had two RBIs and two runs scored and Rayha had an RBI and a run scored.
Bohem led King's with four hits, three RBIs and two runs scored, and sophomore third baseman Tim Zaccone (Wilkes-Barre, Pa./Meyers) added two hits, three RBIs and a run.
Scranton is back in action on Wednesday when it hosts Marywood University at 3:30 p.m. at Connell Park.
--ROYALS--