BOX SCORE

Wilkes-Barre, PA (May 6, 2011) – The DeSales University softball team saw a late inning rally fall short as King's College scored just enough runs early to hold off the top seeded Bulldogs, 4-2, in the second round of the Freedom Conference playoffs on Friday afternoon at the Betzler Athletic Complex.

The win moves the Lady Monarchs into the championship game tomorrow afternoon at 1:00 pm, while the Bulldogs move to the loser's bracket where they will face the winner of the FDU-Florham/Manhattanville College game tomorrow morning. DSU will need three wins tomorrow to earn its second Freedom Conference title.

A scoreless game entering the third inning saw King's strike first using a hit batter, a triple, and squeeze bunt to take a 2-0 lead on the scoreboard. The Lady Monarchs added one in the fourth when junior Katie Morrissey had some trouble in the circle with her plant foot, walking the first three batters and uncorking three wild pitches as King's scored one more run. Morrissey recovered to the retire the side after the three walks to start the inning.

In the fifth KC made it 4-0 when freshman Amanda Cardone hit a solo home run to left center field with one out.

DeSales had its first rally in the fifth when freshman Courtney McKenna singled and freshman Laura Pironi reached on a King's error but two fielder's choice ground outs and a pop-out ended the threat without DSU scoring a run.

The Bulldogs showed no quit however, stringing together a one-out single by junior Christine Petrilla, a double by freshman Cassie Wagman, a sacrifice fly by sophomore Julie Brugger scoring Petrilla after just narrowly missing a three-run homer that landed about three feet foul, and an RBI double from McKenna to make it 4-2.

After the McKenna double, King's made a pitching change and freshman Brittany Haight retired all four batters she faced, putting down the side in order in the bottom of the seventh to earn her first save of the year and give the Lady Monarchs the win.

McKenna had a terrific game, going 3-for-3 with two doubles and an RBI to lead the DeSales offensive attack. The top of the order, which had gone 9-for-16 in the first game on the day, was just 2-for-12 in game two. Senior Jen Lococo took the loss, allowing two runs and just one hit over 2.1 innings pitched. Petrilla was the most effective in relief, pitching two perfect innings, striking out one.

Game time tomorrow will be at 11:00 am following the first game at 9:00 am featuring FDU-Florham and Manhattanville College.