WILKES-BARRE, Pa. (March 18, 2023) – Senior Olivia Warner drove in pinch-runner Elise Fauske with a two-out RBI single as the Stevens Institute of Technology softball team defeated King's College 3-2 in eight innings Saturday in the second game of a MAC Freedom doubleheader at Betzler Field. 

Fifth-year Meg Halloran totaled four hits and sophomores Madison Subbiondo and Emma Ruiz combined for three RBI for the Ducks, who dropped the opener 7-4 to conclude the day 6-8 and 1-1 in conference play. The extra-inning victory snapped the Ducks' five-game losing streak and marked the Ducks' sixth one-run game in their last seven contests. 

Bailey Loyack, Molly Gillette and Ellie Higdon each drove in a pair of runs for King's, who concluded the day, 6-4 and 1-1 in the MAC Freedom. The teams have split their last six meetings. 

"Conference play is always fun and it felt good to get back into it today," head coach Emily Kaczmarek said. "As always, there are a few things we need to continue to solidify as we move forward, but I am excited for what's still to come for us."

Junior Jessica Guerrero walked to spark the winning rally after King's had forced extra innings by scoring a pair of runs in the seventh. Fauske pinch-ran for Guerrero at first and moved around the basepath on consecutive groundouts. Warner, who had two hits in the victory, stepped to the plate against Emily Novicki (2-2) and solidly drove a ball back up the middle to easily score Fauske with the go-ahead run.

First-year Ashley Allen (2-0) worked around a pair of walks to close out the victory. The Kirkland, Washington native hasn't allowed a run in three of her four appearances. 

King's struck for two in the seventh off first-year Ella Tozduman. Jessica Perella walked but was erased on a fielder's choice. Kiersten Krouse and Loyack smacked back-to-back singles to load the bases. Tozduman induced a shallow flyout to left for the second out in the inning, but Higdon singled to left in the next at-bat to plate two runs. With the potential winning run at second, Allen came on in relief and retired Gillette on a weak grounder to short to end the threat.

Tozduman and Novicki traded zeroes until the Ducks reached Novicki for a pair of runs in the sixth. Halloran started the rally with a one-out single, moved to second on a wild pitch and then stole third. Warner drove in the first run of the game with a single and came around to score on Subbiondo's single to right-center. Novicki allowed three runs on seven hits and struck out eight. Tozduman allowed a pair of runs and struck out three over 6 2-3 innings but did not factor in the decision.

Warner also got the Ducks on the board in the opener with an RBI double to score Halloran. King's answered with a run on a wild pitch in the bottom of the frame before Ruiz put the guests back in front with an RBI double in the second. The second-year infielder added her second run-scoring extra-base hit in as many at-bats when she drove in senior Alex Schoellig for the second time to draw the Ducks even at three.

King's broke through for three runs in the fourth against Ducks' starter Erin Kreis (1-5). Colleen Shuler led off with a single and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and a wild pitch. Olivia Krupski then had the pivotal play in the inning, reaching on a fielder's choice that allowed Shuler to score the go-ahead run, and the Monarch second baseman moved to second on a throwing error by Guerrero. Loyack singled to right center to score Krupski from second and Harley Sullivan plated the final run of the inning on a single to left center that pushed the home team's lead to three. Kreis allowed seven runs, five earned, with four strikeouts. 

The Ducks got a run back in the sixth. Subbiondo had a two-out, pinch-hit double to right center. Schoellig delivered her second RBI of the season with an RBI single, but Brandi McIntosh (2-2) induced a flyout by Ruiz to end the inning. McIntosh allowed four runs on eight hits with four strikeouts in firing the complete game. 

Up Next: Softball heads to Mahwah, New Jersey on Mar. 23 for a doubleheader at Ramapo. The teams split a doubleheader last season in Weehawken under interesting circumstances. The games were originally scheduled for Mar. 24 and with the teams tied at three, the game was suspended due to inclement weather and field conditions. Per the NCAA guidelines, when play resumed on April 13, the game was picked up from the point of interruption and the Ducks won the game 5-4. Ramapo won game two and the teams have split the last eight meetings. A link for live stats is posted to StevensDucks.com.

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