The Misericordia University baseball team scattered 12 hits but could only manage two runs as they fell in their Freedom Conference opener to rival King's, 4-2 in Wilkes-Barre.

The Cougars never really got going until the ninth-inning, when a rally fell just short. Down 4-1, Nate Newman ripped a one-out double off the wall, and Jeff Slanovec dropped in a single. When freshman Kenny Durling smacked a line drive off the third baseman's glove, the bases were loaded and still just one out.

Bubba Jasinski was next up and was unlucky when his hard-hit line drive was snatched out of the air by the Monarch second baseman. A wild pitch then scored Newman and moved the runners into scoring position with two outs.

The Cougars just needed an outfield hit to tie the game and they were fortunate to have senior captain Jamie Philippi at the plate. He gave the ball a good ride to the right-field gap, but it was run down for the third and final out, ending the contest.

Newman led the Cougars offensively, going 3-for-5 with an RBI. Catcher Chris Tuttle was 2-for-4.

Starting pitcher Pat Clark lasted seven innings, allowing three earned runs. Freshman Pete Doggett pitched an inning of relief.

For the third time this season, a Misericordia lead-off man opened a game by reaching on a passed third strike. This time it was centerfielder Anthony Goncalves who took first base after striking out, but MU left the first inning empty-handed.

King's scored one in the bottom of the first, but the Cougars answered as Newman doubled in Goncalves in the top of the third. The Monarchs re-took the lead with a homer in bottom of the third.

From there, MU squandered several good chances to score as they left the bases loaded in the fourth and stranded two runners in scoring position in the sixth.

Misericordia pulled off a heady defensive play in the bottom of the fourth to keep the game close. With one out and men on first and second, a sacrifice fly moved the Monarch runners into scoring position. The Cougars successfully appealed that the player going to third had left early, and escaped the inning unscathed.

King's grabbed the cushion they needed however with runs in the sixth and eighth innings, and the Cougars' late comeback attempt wasn't enough to salvage the game.

Misericordia is now 7-3, 0-1 and faces an important home double-header with the Monarchs, tomorrow at noon.