Box Score
FLUSHING, N.Y. – A three-run top of the eighth inning gave the Queens College baseball team (2-11) a 6-5 lead over Dominican College (3-4) Tuesday afternoon at Ray Metski Field, but the Knights could not hold on, as the Chargers plated single runs in the eighth and ninth innings to capture a 7-6 lead on QC's home field.
Anthony Mazella went 2-for-5 with a double and RBI for Queens, while Warren Kelly had a 2-for-4 day with a run and two RBI. Steven Varela was 1-for-3 with two runs scored, while Michael Shada and Connor Burke had one run and one hit apiece. Starting pitcher Kyle Contino (7 IP, 5 H, 5 BB, 2 K) allowed five runs, though just one was earned. Varela took the tough-luck loss in relief for the Knights.
After spotting Dominican a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning, the teams traded one run apiece in the fourth inning. In the QC half of the inning, Shada and Varela hit back-to-back singles to left field to lead off the frame. Three batters later, Kelly singled cleanly to right field, plating Shada and bringing the homestanding Knights, batting first in what was originally Dominican's home contest, to within a 4-1 count.
Down 5-1 entering the sixth, Queens answered with two more runs to cut the deficit in half. Varela was hit by a pitch to start the inning, and moved up 90 feet on Burke's single to left. Mazella then doubled over the head of the left fielder to plate Varela, before Burke hustled home on a right-side groundout by Kelly to cut the QC deficit to 5-3.
Once again with Varela leading off an inning, he reached base to start out the top of the eighth stanza. After two batters made outs, Kelly walked before James Casella (one run) was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Eric Reyes then walked to bring home Varela, before Chris Raumanauskas singled to the right side of the infield, allowing Kelly to score with Casella right behind him after a throwing error at first base, giving the Knights a 6-5 lead in the process.
Dominican knotted the game at 6-all with two down in the bottom of the eighth inning on a two-out double steal, before Queens loaded up the bases with two down in the top of the ninth. After the Knights failed to bring across a run in its opportunity, the Chargers won the contest with one down in the bottom of the ninth on a deep single to left-center field.
Both teams will square off again at Ray Metski Field on Friday (Mar. 18), with first pitch scheduled for 3 p.m.
