Young Harris, Ga. — King University baseball hit the road for a Conference Carolinas matchup at nationally ranked Young Harris on Saturday, showing resilience and late-game punch despite falling in both contests. The Tornado (10–24) produced 14 total hits across the doubleheader, highlighted by home runs from Cy Smith and Kale Richardson, and multi-hit efforts from several players. Young Harris (27–7) used a pair of explosive innings to secure wins of 24–2 and 10–5, but King continued to generate quality at-bats and late scoring in both games.
Game One: Smith's Seventh-Inning Homer Puts King on the Board
Young Harris jumped ahead early, but King continued to compete throughout the opener and broke through in the seventh inning with a strong finish at the plate.
After Jaxon Horn reached base, Cy Smith delivered the Tornado's biggest swing of the game — a two-run home run to left, his first of the season. The blast capped a determined final inning in which King refused to go quietly.
Christopher Rosario added a hit off the bench, while Logan Janney and Smith each reached base to help spark the late rally.
On the mound, Bradley Anderson provided a bright spot, tossing 1.2 scoreless innings with three fly-ball outs and no walks to stabilize the final frames.
Game Two: Tornado Offense Stays Hot With 11 Hits
King carried its late-game momentum into the second contest, striking first and putting together one of its most balanced offensive performances of the season.
Early Lead
The Tornado opened the scoring in the first inning when Tommy Regan lined an RBI single to center, bringing home Jose Ruiz. King added another run in the third as Misael Garcia reached on an RBI play, again scoring Ruiz to cut the Young Harris lead to 4–2.
Sixth-Inning Surge
King's best inning came in the sixth, when Christopher Rosario singled home a run and Jose Ruiz lifted a sacrifice fly to right, trimming the deficit to just 5–4.
Ruiz reached base twice, scored two runs, and added a stolen base, while Logan Janney turned in a standout performance with three hits, including a double.
Richardson Goes Deep
In the seventh, Kale Richardson launched a solo home run — his first of the season — pulling King within 6–5 and giving the Tornado their second homer of the day.
Additional Highlights
- Richardson finished with three hits, two runs, and the home run.
- Adrian Vidal, Kenny Hirschfeld, and Rosario each added hits as King reached double-digit hits for the fifth time this year.
- Defensively, King turned two double plays, helping keep the game tight into the late innings.
Young Harris added insurance runs in the seventh and eighth, but King continued to put runners on base and pressure the Mountain Lions throughout the contest.
Offensive Leaders – King University
Game One
Game Two
Up Next
King returns to action on Tuesday, March 31, traveling to Carson-Newman for a 3 p.m. nonconference matchup.
