Quakertown, PA, (May 7, 2006) – The six-time defending Freedom Conference champion DeSales University Bulldogs fell short on Sunday in its bid to make it seven straight titles falling for the second time in the tournament to King’s College, 6-3.

 

        King’s College (25-14 overall) earns the conference’s automatic bid and will advance to play in the NCAA Regional Tournament with pairings to be announced next Sunday.  DeSales (23-19 overall) see its season come to an end in the first week of May for the first time in six years.

 

        A squandered opportunity in the second inning as the Bulldogs had the bases loaded with one out but failed to score a run turned into an open door for KC and they took advantage opening up a 1-0 lead with three consecutive two-out hits in the bottom of the inning.

 

        The lead swelled to 2-0 in the fourth when Jeremy Faust knocked in his second run of the game on a fielder’s choice and King’s took control of the game in the fifth when the tournament Most Valuable Player, Caleb Calarco, belted a two-run double into left-center field and Mike Venarchick followed with a two-run home run to make it 6-0 Monarchs.

 

        The champion Bulldogs refused to go quietly however scoring twice in the sixth on a two-run blast from sophomore Scott Matejicka (Whitehall, PA/Whitehall) and an RBI single from senior Derek Miller (Green Lane, PA/Upper Perkiomen) in the seventh which made it 6-3.  DSU got its leadoff runner on in the ninth and were just two batters away from getting Matejicka to the plate but sophomore Andrew Heard (Alexandria, VA/Hayfield) struck out and Faust threw out freshman Matt Connors (Sewell, NJ/Washington Township) on a steal attempt to end the ball game.

 

        Rob Medlock earned the win for the Monarchs going all nine innings allowing 11 hits and striking out six.  Senior Jon Pallone (Syracuse, NY/West Genesee) took the loss lasting just four innings and allowing four runs (one earned).  Senior Pete Quarracino (Kimberton, PA/Phoenixville) blanked KC over the last four innings allowing just two hits and giving DSU a chance to rally back at the plate.

 

        Calarco finished the tournament batting .615 (8-for-13) with three doubles and three RBI’s and earned the second win of the tournament for the Monarchs lasting eight innings and allowing three earned runs.  He was 2-for-4 on Sunday with a run scored and two RBI’s.