FEBRUARY 26, 2017

MONARCHS USE STRONG PITCHING PERFORMANCES TO BLANK DEFENDERS

BERWICK, PA --- The King's College baseball team used strong pitching performances from four different pitchers to sweep their season-opening doubleheader from Clarks Summit University on a chilly Sunday afternoon in Berwick, PA. The Monarchs won the first game 1-0 before taking the nightcap 8-0.

Nick Deno was fantastic on the mound for King's in game one pitching five innings and allowing just two hits while throwing just 53 pitches to 17 batters. He retired the last 11 batters he faced and not a single runner got pass first base.  Deno also recorded six strikeouts including four looking. Unfortunately he had to settle for a no decision as the Monarchs were unable to score any runs.

The Monarchs did threaten to score in the first couple innings but were not able to come up with the big hit. In the first inning Tom Gibbons started things off with a double to right center. However, King's was unable to bring him in to score as he was tagged out on a force play at third for the third out of the inning. In the second Dan Hartson led off with a single to center. He then stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch but was stranded there as the Monarchs were unable to knock him in.

Bruce Breithaupt started a two-out rally in the third with a single thru the right side. Kyle Lupas then walked to put runners on first and second. Once again though the Defenders got out off the inning with no runs put on the board. In the fifth inning Gibbons knocked a double down the left field line with one out but the Monarchs were unable to hit the ball out of the infield the rest of the innings as the game remained scoreless heading into the sixth.

In the sixth inning John Wickiser relieved Deno on the mound and continued the dominance on the mound as the Defenders went down in order for the fourth consecutive inning. In the bottom half of the inning Lupas led off with an infield single to second base. He was then replaced on the base paths for the faster Brad Wilkins. Wilkins advanced to second when he drew a balk call and then advanced to third on a wild pitch. Christian Pack drew a walk and then stole second. Harston then walked to load the bases with no outs. However the next two King's hitters were struck out keeping the game scoreless. Sean McKee gave the Monarchs their only run of the game when he drew a bases-loaded walk to score Wilkins. Wickiser then shut the Defenders down in the top of the seventh to grab the victory for the Monarchs. He was aided by good defense in the inning including a wonderful stop by Pack on a ball hit up the middle to record the first out of the inning.

Gibbons had two hits to lead the Monarchs at the plate in the first game while Breithaupt, Lupas, and Hartson had a hit each. Wickiser pitched two innings in relief allowing just one hit and striking out one. The Monarchs had five hits and received five walks but left nine runners on base in the game.

For Clarks Summit Nick Chupick, Benjamin Hurlburt, and Andreas Bailey had a hit each. Kegan Laman pitched five innings allowing no runs on four hits with two walks and struck out two. Billy Gillette received the loss in relief allowing one run on one hit and three walks with two strikeouts in one inning.

In game two the Monarchs loaded the bases in the first inning. Breithaupt hit a two-out single to right center and then stole second. Lupas and Pack walked but the Defenders were able to record the third out to get out of the inning unscathed. In the second inning Wilkins hit a double down the left field line with one out. Two batters later Gibbons hit a single thru the left side but Wilkins was unable to score from second. Gibbons then stole second and Chris Rebar walked to load the bases. However just like they did in the first Clarks Summit was able to record the third out before the Monarchs were able to score any runs.

King's were able to get on the board in the third inning when Sean Padden hit a double to left center field to score Kyle Friebolin from first with two outs. Padden was stranded on second as the Defenders were able to get out of the inning with no more damage done.

Clarks Summit was not so lucky in the fourth inning as the Monarchs were able to score five runs on three hits. Shawn Stone led the inning off with a walk and then Chris Neuhaus pinch ran for him and stole second. Gibbons and Rebar drew back-to-back walks to load the bases. Breithaupt knocked in one run with a sacrifice fly to right center. After Rebar stole second  Lupas hit a two RBI single up the middle to give King's a 4-0 lead. Lupas advanced to third base on a wild pitch and then a ground out before he was driven home by Friebolin with a RBI double to right center. Friebolin was then knocked in on a blooper single to left by Padden.

King's added two more runs in the fifth when they loaded the bases with no outs on a Gibbons walk, a Rebar single, and then a walk to Breithaupt. Ryan Hydock knocked in Gibbons when he was hit by a pitch in a pinch hitting appearance for Lupas. Noah Adam then drove in his first collegiate run with a pinch hit grounder to first to score Rebar.

Padden led the Monarchs with two hits and two RBIs in the nightcap. Gibbons, Rebar, Breihaupt, Lupas, Pack, Friebolin, and Wilkins recorded a hit each. Lupas added two RBIs. The Monarchs recorded nine hits and drew 10 walks but left 11 men on base during the game.

Dan Hartson got the win on the mound for the Monarchs pitching four innings allowing just one hit and one walk while striking out two. Billy Neill recorded a three inning save in his collegiate debut. He struck out two in three perfect innings in relief.

Colby Bonewitz had the Defenders lone hit in game two. Robert Mitchell received the loss on the mound allowing a run in three innings on five hits with three walks and three strikeouts.

Tom Gibbons had three hits, including two doubles, on the day and scored two runs while Kyle Lupas and Sean Padden had two hits and two RBIs each.  Christian Pack stole two bases while Chris Rebar and Kyle Friebolin scored twice each.

The Monarchs will return to the diamond next Sunday when they face Nebraska Wesleyan University in a doubleheader beginning at 12:30 at the Chain O' Lakes Complex in Winter Haven, FL to begin the team's spring break trip. King's will look to avenge a doubleheader sweep by the Prairie Wolves to end last year's trip in Florida. NWU won by scores of 5-3 and 10-8.