APRIL 2, 2017
MONARCHS BLAST THREE HOME RUNS IN SPLIT AT MANHATTANVILLE
PURCHASE, N.Y. --- The King's College baseball team split a doubleheader with host Manhattanville College on Sunday afternoon in Purchase. The Valiants won the opener 5-4 before the Monarchs took the nightcap 11-1. In the second game Kyle Lupas recorded his 100th career hit in the fourth inning.
King's is now 9-7 overall and 3-2 in conference play while Manhattanville holds a 7-9 overall record and 3-2 mark in the conference.
In the first game the Valiants got on the board first in the second inning after a leadoff double to the gap in right center. After the base runner was moved over to third, the Valiants knocked a single to left with two out to take a 1-0 lead. The Monarchs responded right back in the top of the third when Sean Padden knocked the second pitch of the inning over the left field fence for his first home run of the year.
Bruce Breithaupt led off the fourth with a single to center and then was knocked in on a double down the right field line by Lupas. However Manhattanville responded with a two-run homer to right to retake a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the inning. The Valiants added two more run in the fifth to increase their lead to three.
In the sixth Sean McKee singled down the right field line to begin the inning. Chris Rebar and Breithaupt loaded the bases with no outs on back-to-back walks. Dan Hartson drew a walk two batters later after being down 0-2 in the count to score a run. Tom Gibbons then knocked in another run when he drew a two-out walk with the bases still loaded. Unfortunately the Monarchs could score no more run that inning.
In the seventh King's put two runners on but were not able to knock in the game-tying run as the Valiants came away with the victory.
McKee led King's with two hit while scoring a run. Breithaupt had a hit and two twice while Lupas, Hartson, Gibbons and Padden had a RBI each.
Nick Deno received his first loss of the year on the mound allowing five runs on 10 hits, one walk, and three strikeouts in five innings. John Wickiser pitched the final inning in relief receiving three quick outs.
Danny Gallagher led Manhattanville with three hits. Peter Iannarilli had two hits and knocked in three runs while Luke Scoggins scored three times. Pat Badia got the win pitching five innings and allowing two runs on four hits with three strikeouts. William Mohr picked up his third save of the year getting the final five outs while allowing just one hit and walking two.
In the nightcap the Monarchs jumped on top just three pitches in when McKee doubled to right center on the second pitch he saw and then Rebar jumped on top of the first pitch knocking it over the fence in right for a two-run homer. Three batters later the Monarchs increased their lead to 3-0 when Christian Pack knocked in Breithaupt.
Manhattanville manufactured a run in the second to cut the lead to 3-1. However King's broke the game open with three runs in the fourth and four runs in the fifth. In the fourth inning Lupas recorded his 100th career hit when he led off with a home run to left. Pack doubled and then Gibbons beat out a grounder back to the mound. On the play the Valiant pitcher threw the ball away allowing Pack to score from second. Gibbons then stole second and advanced to third on a fly ball to right. Zack Godfrey knocked in Gibbons with a single to left for the final run of the inning.
In the fifth Rebar led off with a walk and then advanced to second on a Breithaupt single to center. After Lupas moved the runners up with a groundout to second Pack knocked in a run with a single thru the right side. Gibbons was then intentionally walked to load the bases which turned out to hurt the Valiants as Padden stepped up to the plate a knocked a double down the left field line to score two runs. Brad Wilkins knocked in Gibbons with the final run of the inning on a grounder to short. The Monarchs added their final run of the game in the sixth on a Rebar single and then a two-out double to right by Lupas.
On the mound Dan Hartson pitched the first four innings allowing just one run on one hit and four walks with a strikeout. John Wickiser returned to the mound in his second appearance of the day and shut the door earning a three-inning save while striking out two and allowing four hits.
In game two Pack led the Monarchs at the plate with three hits, two runs scored, and two RBI. Rebar had two hits, two RBI, and scored three times while Lupas had two hits, a run scored, and knocked in two. Padden knocked in two and had one hit.
Christian Pack led the Monarchs with four hits on the day with two RBI and two runs scored. Kyle Lupas had three hits including a home run and two doubles while knocking in three and scoring once. Sean McKee also had three hits and scored twice. Chris Rebar and Sean Padden had two hits and hit a home run each.
The Monarchs and Valiants will play the rubber game of the three-game series on Monday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. at Lipo Field in Wilkes-Barre. The game will mark the season's Lipo Field opener for the Monarchs as they have yet to be able to play a game on their home field.