BRISTOL, Tenn. — King University opened its Conference Carolinas series with a determined 11–9 victory over Erskine on Friday afternoon, using an explosive eighth inning to pull away in a game defined by momentum swings, timely hitting, and late-inning resilience. The win moves King to 9–14 on the season and gives the Tornado the upper hand heading into Saturday's doubleheader.
Early Trading of Blows
Both teams wasted no time putting pressure on the scoreboard. Erskine struck first with an RBI single from Danny Villafane in the opening inning, but King immediately countered when Logan Janney scored on an error to even the game.
The second inning followed the same pattern. Erskine manufactured a run on a sacrifice groundout, only for King to respond again, this time with a Justin Smith RBI single to tie the contest at 2–2.
King Builds Its First Lead
The Tornado began to separate in the third. Mason Meinke doubled to right-center to score Tommy Regan, and Jose Ruiz followed with an infield RBI single, giving King a 4–2 advantage. Erskine trimmed the lead with a run in the fourth, but King answered once more when Regan singled home Kale Richardson to make it 5–3.
Kenny Hirschfeld added another run in the sixth with a double down the left-field line, extending the lead to 6–3 as King's offense continued to apply steady pressure.
Erskine's Big Eighth Flips the Game
The game's most dramatic turn came in the top of the eighth, when Erskine erupted for five runs. A two-run single from Ricky Dober ignited the rally, followed by a hit-by-pitch that forced in another run. Jacob Platt added an RBI single, and a sacrifice fly from Carson Yates capped the surge, suddenly giving the Flying Fleet an 8–6 lead.
What had been a controlled game for King had turned into a late-inning challenge.
Tornado Respond With Authority
King answered immediately and emphatically in the bottom half of the inning.
Kale Richardson delivered the pivotal swing, launching a two-run home run to left to tie the game at 8–8 and reignite the Tornado dugout. Moments later, Hirschfeld drove in the go-ahead run with a single down the right-field line. Ruiz then delivered the final blow, a two-run single up the middle that stretched the lead to 11–8.
The five-run response mirrored Erskine's surge and restored control to King at the most critical moment.
Closing It Out
Erskine pushed across one run in the ninth, but Jonathan Webster steadied the inning and secured his third save of the season. Connor Haynes earned the win after recording the final outs of the eighth.
Offensive Standouts
King's lineup produced 18 hits, with contributions throughout the order:
The Tornado collected five doubles and consistently pressured Erskine's pitching staff.
Looking Ahead
The series continues Saturday with a doubleheader scheduled for 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. at King Baseball Field. With the opener secured, King will look to carry its offensive momentum and sharpen its position in the Conference Carolinas standings.
