APRIL 22, 2018

MONARCH BASEBALL DROPS WILD 17-14 AFFAIR AT MANHATTANVILLE

PURCHASE, N.Y. --- The King's College baseball team scored nine runs in the final two innings but host Manhattanville College countered with 11 runs including a walk-off three-run home run to defeat the Monarchs 17-14 on Sunday afternoon in Purchase, N.Y.

King's drops their first game in two weeks to fall to 16-14 overall and 9-9 in conference play. The Valiants won the season series over King's and improves to 12-15 overall and 8-8 in the conference with the victory.

Manhattanville struck first in the second inning with a two-out single to left field to score the game's first run from second base. The Monarchs responded in the top of the third with three runs. King's loaded the bases for Shawn Stone with no outs. Stone knocked in Christian Pack and Chris Rebar with a single to left. Two batters later Brad Wilkins hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Kyle Lupas as the Monarchs took a 3-1 lead.

The Valiants responded with three runs of their own in the bottom of the inning on two doubles and two walks. King's retook the lead in the fifth when Rebar hit a sac fly to center to score Dan Hartson and Lupas singled to left to score Pack. Neither team was able to score again until the bottom of the seventh when the Valiants scored twice on four hits to take a 6-5 lead.

The Monarchs responded with five runs with two outs in the eighth inning. Pack singled with runners on the corners to tie the game and then Rebar singled to right center to give King's a 7-6 lead. Lupas continued the run with a single to right to score Pack. Shawn Stone to load the bases and then Matt Mellinger worked a four-pitch walk to bring in another run. Sean Padden drew another walk to score another run for the Monarchs before the Valiants got out of the inning with a fly ball to center.

In the bottom of the inning, the Valiants recorded three straight singles to load the bases. They scored one run on a sac fly to center and then scored another run two batters later on a bases-loaded walk. They then took the lead when Hathaway Roper hit a grand slam to left with one out. The Monarch got out of the inning on a groundout to short and a strikeout.

Sean McKee led off the ninth with a single to center, Hartson walked, and then Pack doubled down the line in left to score a run. Rebar gave the Monarchs a 13-12 lead with a two-RBI single to left. Rebar worked his way to third before Matthew Mellinger knocked him in with a sac fly to center to give the Monarchs a two-run lead. King's loaded the bases before the Valiants got out of the inning with a foul out to first base.

Luke Scoggins led off the bottom of the ninth with a homer to right center. Manhattanville had back-to-back singles before the Monarchs got the first two outs of the inning on a fielder's choice and a strikeout. The Valiants were able to score the game-tying run on a passed ball and a throwing error. After a hit-by-pitch to put two runners on, Roper knocked the first pitch he saw over the left field fence for a walk-off home run.

Christian Pack led the Monarchs at the plate with three hits in five at-bats including a double, four runs scored, and two RBI. Chris Rebar knocked in four runs with two hits and scored three times while walking twice. Kyle Lupas had two hits, two runs scored and knocked in two while Shawn Stone and Matt Mellinger knocked in two runs each. Dan Hartson scored three times.

The Monarchs used six pitchers with John Wickiser being the tough-luck loser. After a brilliant pitching performance against Eastern on Saturday King's brought in Wickiser to attempt to close out the game in the ninth and he allowed five runs on four hits with one strikeout. Matt Hassick started the game and pitched two-plus innings before being relieved after allowing four runs on three hits and three walks. Cooper Johnson pitched two innings of three-hit ball before being relieved by Brandon Moffitt who pitched an inning allowing just two walks with a strikeout. Billy Neill pitched 1.1 innings and allowed two runs on three hits and two walks with a strikeout. Chris Lupole pitched 1.2 innings and allowed six runs on six hits and a walk and one strikeout.

The Monarchs will close out conference play next weekend with three games against Delaware Valley University. King's will host the Aggies on Friday at 3:30 p.m. before traveling down to Doylestown for a doubleheader on Saturday.