Bristol, Tenn. — King University baseball delivered a strong response in Saturday's doubleheader, earning a convincing 6–2 win in Game One before falling 12–4 in the afternoon matchup. The Tornado (13–33) showed resilience, timely hitting, and quality pitching throughout the day, but ultimately dropped the weekend Conference Carolinas series to UNC Pembroke (29–16) by a 2–1 margin.

The day featured explosive early offense, standout individual performances, and a late rally in Game Two that energized the home crowd.

GAME ONE: King 6, UNC Pembroke 2

Hirschfeld Drives in Five as Tornado Strike Early

King set the tone immediately in the series' second game, erupting for three runs in the first inning and three more in the second to seize control.

First Inning Surge

• Kenny Hirschfeld doubled to right, scoring Kale Richardson and Logan Janney for a 2–0 lead.
• Moments later, Misael Garcia singled to left, driving in Hirschfeld to make it 3–0.

Second Inning Breakthrough

Hirschfeld delivered again — this time with a bases-clearing double down the left-field line, scoring Janney, Justin Smith, and Jose Ruiz to extend the lead to 6–0.

The five-RBI performance marked one of the best offensive outings of the season for the Tornado catcher.

UNC Pembroke Scores Twice in the Third

The Braves cut into the lead with RBI hits from Daniel Stephens and Landon Lucas, but King's pitching shut the door from there.

Pitching Shines

Rohde Kirkland was outstanding, tossing 6.0 innings, allowing just two runs on four hits, and striking out four to earn the win (3–7).
Jonathan Webster closed the seventh with a scoreless frame.

Game One Offensive Leaders – King

• Kenny Hirschfeld: 2-for-3, 5 RBI, 2 doubles
• Logan Janney: 3-for-4, 2 runs
• Misael Garcia: 2-for-3, 3 RBI
• Jose Ruiz: 2-for-3, run

King finished with 11 hits and played clean defense to secure the victory.

GAME TWO: UNC Pembroke 12, King 4

Braves Use Big Seventh Inning to Pull Away Late

Game Two remained tight through the early innings, but UNC Pembroke used a massive six-run seventh inning to break the game open and take the rubber match of the series.

Braves Build Early Lead

UNC Pembroke struck for three runs in the third, highlighted by:

• A solo home run from Daniel Stephens
• An RBI single from Branton Jernigan
• A fielder's-choice RBI from Jackson Crute

The Braves added a run on a wild pitch in the sixth to make it 4–0.

Seventh Inning Turns the Tide

UNC Pembroke erupted for six runs in the seventh, stringing together five consecutive RBI hits, including:

• Jernigan's RBI single
• Mozeley's RBI single
• Padgett's RBI single
• Steele's RBI single
• A two-run double from Boone Herman

The outburst extended the lead to 10–0.

King Rallies in the Eighth

The Tornado refused to go quietly, producing a four-run surge:

• Kenny Hirschfeld launched a solo home run
• Mitchell Victor tripled home a run
• Ryan Theobald singled in another
• Mason Meinke doubled to center to cap the rally

The late push energized the home crowd, but the deficit proved too large to overcome.

Game Two Offensive Leaders – King

• Mason Meinke: 1-for-1, RBI double
• Mitchell Victor: RBI triple, run
• Ryan Theobald: RBI single, run
• Kenny Hirschfeld: HR, RBI

King tallied 11 hits, matching UNC Pembroke, but the Braves' timely hitting and big innings made the difference.

Series Recap: Tornado Show Fight but Fall 2–1

Across the three-game set, King displayed:

• A dominant Game One performance
• Strong offensive contributions from Hirschfeld, Janney, and Meinke
• Quality pitching from Kirkland, Webster, and Pomeroy
• A late rally in Game Two that showcased the team's resilience

Despite the split on Saturday, UNC Pembroke's Friday win and Game Two victory secured the series.

Up Next

King returns to Conference Carolinas action next weekend, hosting Francis Marion on Friday, April 24 at 2:00 p.m. ET at the King Baseball Complex.

The Tornado will look to build on Saturday's Game One momentum as they continue their push through the conference schedule.