EDWARDSVILLE – The Wilkes University softball team fell in its Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom doubleheader with King's College on Tuesday afternoon, falling in the first game 6-3 before dropping the nightcap 7-4.

The Lady Colonels are now 7-19 overall and 2-8 in MAC Freedom play.

King's jumped out to a 4-0 lead through three innings on a three-run homer and a sacrifice fly.

Wilkes got on the board in the bottom of the third one walk and two hits. Sophomore Christina Gambino (Basking Ridge, NJ/Ridge) led off the inning with a walk and advanced to second on a single by junior Ally Paskas (Rutherford, NJ/Rutherford). Junior Mikala Strum (Grass Valley, CA/Nevada Union) stepped up next and hit into a fielder choice that advanced Paskas to second but forced Gambino out at third base. Following a flyout, freshman Caitlin Brown (Glen Cove, NY/Glen Cove) lined a single to center field to drive in Paskas and cut the Lady Monarchs lead to 4-1.

The Lady Colonels cut the lead to 4-3 in the bottom of the fourth on two hits and an error. Freshman Alexis Ayache (Catasauqua, PA/Catasauqua) led off the inning with a single to right-center field. Following a flyout, advanced to second base on a passed ball, and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Gambino then hit an rbi single up the middle to drive in Ayache. Paskas followed with a long fly ball that was dropped by the centerfielder with Gambino coming in to score.

King's finished the scoring adding a run in the top of the fifth and one in the top of the sixth.

Sophomore Nicole Cumbo (Wyoming, PA/Wyoming Area) pitched the first five innings, surrendering six runs (two earned) on eight hits with one walk and two strikeouts. Ayache finished the game giving up one hit and striking out three batters in two innings.

Brown finished the game 2-for-4 with one rbi, Ayache went 2-for-3 with one run scored, and Gambino was 2-for-2 with one rbi, one run scored, and one walk.

The Lady Monarchs jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the second game, scoring two runs in the first, three in the sixth, and two in the seventh.

Wilkes put forth a comeback attempt in the bottom of the seventh, scoring four runs on four hits, two hit batters, and one walk. Sophomore Sarah Birchmeier (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill East) led off with a bunt single to first base and moved over to second on a single by Gambino. Junior Jenna Graziano (Hawthorne, NJ/Hawthorne) stepped up as a pinch-hitter and was hit by a pitch to load the bases with no outs. After a strikeout, Strum was hit by a pitch to force in Birchmeier and get the Lady Colonels on the board. Following a popout, Brown hit a single to center field that drove in Gambino and freshman Haley Welker (Nazareth, PA/Nazareth), who reentered as a pinch runner for Graziano. Ayache then reentered for freshman Bethany Shaud (Drums, PA/Marion Catholic), and hit a single to right field to drive in Strum. Junior Lacey Bixler (Williamstown, PA/Williams Valley) followed with a walk to load the bases with two outs, but the game ended on a groundout, ending the Lady Colonels comeback attempt.

Ayache pitched the first 6.2 innings, surrendering seven runs on 14 hits with one walk and two strikeouts.

Brown led Wilkes at the plate in game two, going 2-for-3 with two rbi's.

The Lady Colonels return to action on Thursday when they will host Penn State-Hazleton for a 6 p.m. non-conference doubleheader.