WISE, Va. — King University baseball battled through freezing temperatures and a long afternoon at Stallard Field, earning a gritty
5–4 win in Game One before falling
3–2 in a late-inning heartbreaker in Game Two. The Tornado leave the doubleheader at
1–4 on the season, showing flashes of offensive punch and strong bullpen work throughout the day.
GAME ONE: King 5, Virginia-Wise 4
Ruiz homers, bullpen shines as Tornado secure first win of 2026
King wasted no time setting the tone. In the top of the first,
Jose Ruiz launched a solo home run to left field, giving the Tornado an early spark and a 1–0 lead.
The offense kept rolling in the second:
Virginia-Wise answered with a two-run double in the bottom half, but King continued to respond. In the fourth,
Ruiz drove in another run on a fielder's choice, and in the fifth,
Kale Richardson ripped an RBI double to left, scoring
Logan Janney to make it 5–3.
That insurance run proved crucial.
Bullpen slams the door
After starter
Ben Hale battled through 3.2 innings with five strikeouts, King turned to its bullpen — and the relievers delivered:
- Colin Goldsmith recorded a key out to escape the fourth.
- Dylan Willis earned the win with a strong fifth inning, striking out two.
- Mitchell Kahlenberg was dominant in a four-inning save, allowing just one run while striking out seven without a walk.
Virginia-Wise scratched across a run in the seventh, but Kahlenberg shut down every rally to secure King's first victory of the season.
Offensive leaders
GAME TWO: Virginia-Wise 3, King 2
Early lead slips away in tight, low-scoring battle
Game Two opened with more early offense from King. In the first inning:
- Logan Janney doubled down the left-field line to score Jose Ruiz.
- Moments later, Janney came home on a wild pitch, giving King a 2–0 lead.
Virginia-Wise answered with a run in the bottom half, then tied the game 2–2 in the fourth on a fielder's choice.
From there, both pitching staffs took over.
Pitching duel in the cold
King's staff kept the Tornado in the game:
But Virginia-Wise found the decisive swing in the eighth when
D. Hall doubled to left, scoring
J. Boyle to give the Cavaliers a 3–2 lead.
King brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth but couldn't break through against
R. Whitson, who earned the win with two strong innings.
Offensive notes
Despite being held to three hits, King stayed competitive behind strong pitching and disciplined defense.
A Day of Growth and Grit
Across both games, King showed:
- Early-inning offensive firepower
- A bullpen capable of shutting down rallies
- Improved defensive consistency
- Competitive toughness in cold, difficult conditions
Up Next
King returns home for the first time this season, hosting Emory & Henry on Tuesday, Feb. 10 at 1 p.m.
