MARCH 17, 2016
FIVE MONARCH PITCHERS COMBINE TO SHUTOUT PENN STATE WORTHINGTON SCRANTON
WILKES-BARRE, PA --- The King's College baseball team scored seven runs in the first inning and used five pitchers to shutout visiting Penn State Worthington Scranton 18-0 in a darkness shortened game on Thursday afternoon at Lipo Field in Wilkes-Barre. The game was called after the Lions batted in the seventh inning when the umpires ruled it was too dark to continue playing.
The Monarchs, who are outscoring opponents 26-5 in the first inning this season, improved to 9-3. The Lions fell to 0-5.
King's batted around in the first inning scoring seven runs on six hits. The first eight Monarchs that came to the plate reached base safely as the Lions were unable to record an out until Ryan Hydock hit a fielder's choice to third base with the bases loaded and the Lions got the lead runner out at home. Tom Gibbons led off the game with a double down the left field line to increase his hitting streak to eight games. After Chris Rebar walked Bruce Breithaupt knocked in Gibbons with a single to left. Sean Padden then knocked in Rebar with a single to center. After Kyle Lupas walked to load the bases Brad Wilkins knocked in two runs with a single through the left side. The Monarchs scored the last three runs of the inning when Gibbons hit a two out triple to left field with the bases loaded.
The Monarchs took advantage of two Lion errors in the third inning scoring four runs on three hits. The first run scored when Rebar knocked in Christian Pack on a ball the first baseman misplayed. Breithaupt then singled through the left side to score Hydock. Padden then hit a double down the left field line to score Rebar and Gibbons to give the Monarchs a 11-0 lead.
In the fourth inning King's added two runs when Breithaupt singled to right field to score Gibbons and then Padden singled through the left side to score Rebar.
King's then scored the final five runs in the fifth. Felix Mascelli drew a bases loaded walk to score the first run of the inning. Gibbons hit a single to score Jake Eshbach and Tyler Reynolds. Rebar followed with a double to right center to score Mascelli. Gibbons then scored on a throwing error by the third baseman trying to throw him out at home on a Sean McKee grounder.
Jason Nobrega started on the mound for the Monarchs and recorded his first collegiate win in his collegiate debut. He pitched the first two innings recording three strikeouts and allowing just one hit and one walk. John Wickiser pitched the next two innings for the Monarchs allowing just one hit and striking out two.
Connor Agnew pitched the fifth allowing two hits and walking one but pitched out of a bases loaded jam to preserve the shutout. Chris Lupole pitched a perfect sixth with one strikeout and Kyle Marinelli made his collegiate debut with a perfect seventh.
Tom Gibbons led the Monarchs with three hits in three at-bats with two walks, five RBIs, and four runs scored. Sean Padden had three hits and drove in four runs while Bruce Breithaupt also had three hits and knocked in three. Chris Rebar and Brad Wilkins had two hits and two RBIs each. Rebar also scored three runs while Wilkins and Christian Pack scored twice. As a team the Monarchs scored 18 runs on 17 hits and drew seven walks. This is the sixth time this year King's has scored 10+ runs in a game.
King's will return to the diamond on Saturday when they open up MAC Freedom play against Manhattanville College. The Monarchs will host a doubleheader at Lipo Field starting at 12:00 p.m. Saturday afternoon before traveling to Purchase, N.Y. for the final game of the series on Sunday at 1:00 p.m.