WILKES-BARRE, Pa. – The Albright Lions softball team (8-12) dropped a pair of heartbreakers to the King's College (Pa.) Monarchs (11-12) on Thursday afternoon at the Robert L. Betzler Athletic Complex in Wilkes-Barre.
King's won game one by a score of 5-4 and got a walk-off sac fly in the home half of the seventh in game two en route to a 4-3 victory.
Game One
The Monarchs took the lead in the home half of the sixth as a double and a single put two runners on before both runners scored on Mindina Lieback's sac fly to give the hosts a 5-4 lead. Albright had taken a 4-3 lead in the top half of the inning as junior
Brooke Yerger reached on an infield single, advanced to second on an error, went to third on a sac bunt and scored on
Camille Sears' RBI single.
Sears (2-6) was dealt the loss for the Lions after allowing five runs (four earned) on seven hits to go along with four walks and a strikeout in six innings of work. Kris Kocher (4-5) gave up four runs on seven hits in 7.0 IP and got the win for King's.
King's got on the board first with a run in the second, but the Lions quickly tied it at one in the top of the third as
Stephanie Pomante drew a walk, took second on a single and scored on an RBI single from freshman
Nicole Salerno. Lieback regained the lead for the Monarchs at 2-1 in the bottom of the third as she reached on a throwing error charged to Pomante and scored later in the frame on a second error. A walk and a single put two runners on for the Lions in the top of the fourth and Sears plated both with a two-run double to make it a 3-2 game for the time being.
Sears (3-4, 2B, 3 RBI) had a multi-hit game for Albright, while Pomante drew three walks and scored a pair of runs.
Game Two
King's put together a three-run rally in the seventh and Taylor Norris' walk-off sac fly gave the hosts a 4-3 victory. A pair of singles started the frame for the Monarchs and Lieback tied the game at three with a two-run triple.
Sophomore
Lynsie Grant (2-2) received the tough-luck loss for the Lions after giving up four runs on nine hits while walking three and fanning one in 6 1/3 IP. Nicole Kirse (5-5) allowed three runs (two earned) on seven hits in a complete game effort and got the win for King's.
Albright opened the scoring in the top of the first when Yerger led off with a single, stole second, advanced to third on a flyout and scored on
Jordan Chell's RBI groundout. The 1-0 score would hold until the fourth when Andria Narisi's RBI single tied the game at one for the Monarchs. Junior
Jessica Rodriguez drew a leadoff walk in the sixth, went to second on a sac bunt and scored on a throwing error charged to Monarchs' 2B Gabby Leary and Yerger tacked on an RBI single in the seventh to score
Kasey Souder and give the Lions a 3-1 lead for the time being.
Yerger (2-4, RBI, SB, R) registered a multi-hit game for the Lions, while Souder added a hit and scored a run.
Albright hits the road to battle Widener in a MAC Commonwealth doubleheader on Saturday afternoon. First pitch of game one is set for 2 p.m.
