MARCH 4, 2018

MONARCHS FALL TO MONKS IN DOUBLEHEADER

WINTER HAVEN, FL --- The King's College baseball team dropped a pair of games to Saint Joseph's College of Maine on Sunday night at the Chain O'Lakes Complex in Winter Haven, FL. The Monks took game one 10-6 and then won a pitching duel 2-0 in the nightcap.

Saint Joseph's came out swinging in the first with the first five batters getting hits to plate three runs. The Monks added two runs in the second and then had a big five-run fourth to take a 10-0 lead.

The Monarchs responded in the fifth when Sean McKee hit a leadoff double down the right-field line. After moving to third on a wild pitch, Christian Pack knocked him in on a groundout to first. The Monarchs threaten to score more when Chris Rebar walked and Kyle Lupas hit a single to right but the Monks got out of the inning with no more damage.

King's rallied in the seventh inning when Shawn Stone hit a pinch-hit single up the middle followed by a Noah Adams walk. Matt Mellinger knocked in a run with a double to right center. After two walks to load the bases Kyle Friebolin hit a bases-clearing double to left center with two outs to set the final score.

The nightcap was a pitcher's duel between John Wickiser and Zach Begin. The Monks were able to knock in a run in the second after a leadoff double. Saint Joseph's scored their second run in the sixth with a single up the middle and a deep double to right center.

Begin was nearly unhittable on the mound for the Monks pitching a complete game two-hitter with 12 strikeouts. Wickiser did his best to match his counterpart but got the loss while allowing seven hits and striking out four in six innings of work.

Matt Mellinger led King's with two hits, an RBI, and a run scored in the two games. Kyle Friebolin knocked in three runs while Chris Rebar went one-for-three with two walks.

King's will be back in action on Monday afternoon when they take on Fontbonne University in Auburndale at the Lake Myrtle Complex at 12:45 p.m.