WILKES-BARRE, PA – A strong all around effort in game two of a Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) doubleheader helped the Wilkes University softball team earn a split with host King's College on Monday. The Monarchs took game one 11-0 in five innings before the Colonels responded with a 4-2 victory in game two.
 
After the split Wilkes is now 2-4 overall and in the conference and King's is 7-5.
 
The Colonels began game two with a three-run top of the first inning. Marissa Pick (Watsontown, PA/Warrior Run) led off by reaching on a hit by pitch and then moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Haylee Calaman (Elizabethtown, PA/Elizabethtown Area). Erin Cabry (York, PA/Central York) then tripled to right to bring in Pick for the first run. Emma Stauffer (Media, PA/Penncrest) then hit an RBI single to score Cabry. Nicole O'Rourke (Staten Island, NY/Susan E Wagner) then singled through the left side and Stauffer and O'Rourke then advanced a base on a wild pitch. Sarah Gibson (Chico, CA/Pleasant Valley) then drove in Stauffer with a run-scoring single through the left side to make the score 3-0.
 
King's answered with two runs on three hits in the bottom of the first inning.
 
Wilkes tacked on a run in the top of the fourth inning. Caylee-Mae Williams (Yuba City, CA/River Valley) singled through the left side with one out and then moved to second on a base hit by Jessie Smith (Millersville, MD/Severna Park) which chased the Monarchs starter from the circle. Pick then doubled to left center off the new pitcher to plate Williams for the 4-2 lead.
 
Hope Mullins (Midland, VA/Liberty) and solid defense then did the rest for the Colonels to record the final 12 outs only allowing two walks and one hit during the stretch. Mullins (1-0) earned the victory in her first collegiate start. The first-year went the distance, 7.0 innings allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits with two walks and three strikeouts.
 
O'Rourke recorded a 2-for-3 game at the plate while Pick, Cabry, Stauffer, and Gibson each collected one hit and one RBI.
 
Gabrielle Visconti (3-2) took the loss for King's going 3.1 innings allowing four earned runs on seven hits and a walk.
 
King's controlled game one with seven runs in the second and four more in the third inning. The Monarchs were helped by four Colonels errors to win the game 11-0 in five innings.
 
Sami Hendershott (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Valley) (0-1) was charged with the loss in the first-year's collegiate debut in the circle. She went 2.2 innings allowing no earned runs but 11 runs on nine hits with one strikeout. Rhia Aurand (Avondale, PA/Avon Grove) pitched the final 1.1 innings scoreless.
 
Aurand, Cabry, Smith, and Rachel Pritchard (Wilmington, DE/Concord) each collected one hit in game one.
 
Brandi McIntosh (2-1) earned the victory for King's pitching 5.0 shutout innings. Bailey Loyack led the Monarchs effort at the plate, going 2-for-2 with three RBIs and two runs scored.
 
Wilkes is right back to action tomorrow when it hosts a MAC Freedom doubleheader against Misericordia University at the Ralston Athletic Complex. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 5:00 p.m.