MARCH 5, 2017

MONARCHS WINS FIRST GAME 8-2, BEFORE DROPPING NIGHTCAP 3-1

WINTER HAVEN, FL --- The King's College baseball team split a doubleheader with Nebraska Wesleyan on Sunday afternoon at the Chain O'Lakes Complex in Winter Haven, FL to begin the team's spring break trip. The Monarchs won the first game 8-2 before dropping the nightcap 3-1.

King's improved to 3-1 on the season while the Prairie Wolves are now 3-3.

In the first game the Prairie Wolves opened up the second inning with a drive to the gap in right center but a great relay throw from Christian Pack to Sean Padden to throw the runner out try to stretch his double into a single. In the bottom of the inning Padden hit a triple over the center fielder's head and then was driven in by a Brad Wilkins ground-rule double down the right field line. Wilkins would have had a triple but the home plate umpire ruled the ball out of play and forced Wilkins back to second back.

The Monarchs continued their great defensive play in the third as Padden made a diving catch on a liner into the hole for the first out. Pack then made a smart defensive play when he caught a popup in short leftfield and then doubled off the runner at first who has strayed too far off the base. In the bottom of the inning when Sean McKee hit a single up the middle and then when driven in when Tom Gibbons hit a bomb that reached the warning track in center field for a RBI triple. After Bruce Breithaupt walked Kyle Lupas beat out a slow grounder to the shortstop allowing Gibbons to score giving the Monarchs a 3-0 lead.

King's had a big inning in the fourth as they batted around and scored five runs on four hits and took advantage of two errors to increase their lead to 8-0. Pack opened up the inning when he beat out a grounded to short. He then advanced to second on a hard grounder to first that the Wolves first baseman was unable to handle the ball cleanly but had enough time to make the out at first. After Zach Godfrey walked, McKee loaded the bases with a slow infield single to short. The Monarchs then scored two runs when Gibbons reached base on a throwing error by the Wolves third baseman. King's added another two runs when Breithaupt hit a hard grounder to the left of the shortstop that he botched fielding allowing Gibbons and McKee to score. Lupas and Padden then hit back-to-back singles to score Breithaupt for the final run of the inning.  

Nebraska Wesleyan got on the board in the sixth when they took advantage of a delay in the game due to an umpire injury and changing of home plate umpire due to the injury. After a leadoff walk where the final two pitches of the at bat happened after the delay, the runner advanced to second on a wild pitch and then was driven in on a double down the left field line. However Nick Deno was able to get out of the inning with no more damage. The Prairie Wolves were able to score another run in the seventh but not before King's turned a beautiful 6-4-3 double play to slow an attempt at a rally.

Gibbons had a hit, two RBIs, and two runs scored to lead King's in the game. Lupas, Padden, and McKee had two hits each. Lupas, Padden, Breithaupt, and Wilkins knocked in a run each while McKee scored twice. Nick Deno had another great performance on the mound with a complete game seven hitter. He walked two and struck out three while throwing 105 pitches to pick up his first victory of the year.

Jared Scdoris and Cole Schumacher each had two hits for Nebraska Wesleyan. Jesse Maguire got the loss on the mound giving up eight runs, six earned, on nine hits in four innings of work. He walked two and struck out five. Cam Lulow threw two perfect innings in relief with one strike out.

The second game was more of a pitching duel as both pitchers pitched complete games allowing a combined 10 hits and three walks. The Monarchs threaten to score in the third when Wilkins singled to right center with one out. However, the Wolves right field made a nice play on a fly ball hit by McKee keeping the Monarchs off the board in the inning. Matt Hassick retired the first nine batters he faced in his debut for the King's.

The Monarchs were able to break through with their only run of the game in the fourth. Chris Rebar hit a lead-off single thru the right side and then advanced to third on a throwing error by the Wolves pitcher during a pickoff attempt. Breithaupt then drove him home with a chopper to short. The Wolves responded with two runs in the bottom of the inning on one hit and one error.  After a lead-off walk the Wolves put runners on the corners on a Monarch throwing error on a sacrifice bunt. Nebraska Wesleyan tied the game on their first hit, a bunt single between first and second base. Hassick then struck a batter out and got a grounder up the middle but unfortunately were only able to get one out at second on the plate as the relay throw to first was late. The Wolves scored their second run on an attempted double steal. With runners on the corner the runner on first started to steal second but stopped and headed back to first once King's threw down to attempt to get him out. As that happened the runner on third broke for home beating the return throw.

King's threatened to tie the game in the fifth advancing McKee to third base but were unable to drive him in. McKee singled to right, stole second, and then advanced to third on a throwing error by the pitcher on a failed pickoff attempt with two outs. Unfortunately a ground out to first ended the inning. The Wolves added on an insurance run in the sixth to take a 3-1 lead.

In the seventh King's attempted to rally putting runners on the corners on singles by Pack and Wilkins with two outs but Nebraska Wesleyan got out of the inning with a strike out.

Wilkins had two hits to lead the Monarchs in game two while Rebar had a hit and a run scored. Lupas, Pack, and McKee added a hit each and Breithaupt knocked in a run. Hassick got the loss on the mound throwing a complete game while allowing three runs, only one earned, on four hits, three walks, and three strikeouts.

Brody Murphy got the complete game victory for the Wolves allowing one unearned run on six hits and six strikeouts. Schumacher led Nebraska Wesleyan in game two with one hit, one run scored, and he knocked in a run.

Brad Wilkins went three-for-six on the day with a double and an RBI to lead the Monarchs. Kyle Lupas and Sean McKee each had three hits while Christian Pack and Sean Padden had two hits each. McKee scored two runs and Tom Gibbons knocked in two runs and scored twice. Bruce Breithaupt knocked in two runs for the Monarchs.

King's will continue their Florida trip on Monday morning with an early 9:00 a.m. start of a doubleheader against Wentworth Institute of Technology at Lake Myrtle Sports Park in Auburndale, FL.