Box Score
FLUSHING, N.Y. – Connor Burke went 2-for-4 Wednesday afternoon at Ray Metski Field for the Queens College baseball team, but the Knights (1-8) fell victim to single runs in the top of the first and ninth innings by visiting Adelphi University, and dropped a 2-0 decision to the Panthers (4-3-1).
Adelphi got on the board in the top of the first inning when Richard McCarren singled to lead off the game, and moved to second on a groundout. After McCarren stole third base, Omar Velasquez (3-for-4, 2 2B, SB) drove him home on a RBI grounder to the right side of the infield to stake the visitors to a 1-0 lead.
Queens had opportunities to tie the game when it placed runners on third base in both the second and third innings. In the second frame, Michael Shada ripped a two-out double and moved to third on an outfield error, before a groundout ended the threat.
Burke and James Casella hit back-to-back one-out singles in the third, before Burke moved to third base on a groundout. Once again, the rally attempt was thwarted by an infield out, leaving the score at 1-0.
The Knights chased AU starter Michael Carletti (4.2 IP, 4 H, 2 BB, 2 K) in the fifth frame, when pinch-runner Eduardo Torres moved to third base. But eventual winning pitcher Mike Scudero (1-1 record; 1.1 IP, BB, 2 K) induced a grounder up the middle to end the frame.
Queens starter Kyle Contino (7 IP, 3 H, BB, 5 K) was the tough-luck loser, though he wrapped up his outing prior to the seventh-inning stretch by working out of a two-out jam with a runner on third base.
Steven Varella (1-for-4) and Warren Kelly (1-for-4) rapped two-out singles for QC in the bottom of the eighth, and moved up 90 feet apiece on a wild pitch by Jimmy Milani. However, the ball once again did not leave the infield in the next at-bat, as the Knights were doomed by a 0-for-8 outing with runners in scoring position.
The Panthers got an insurance run in their half of the ninth inning when T.J. Humrich's two-out single brought home Velasquez, before Milani set down Queens 1-2-3 in the bottom half of the stanza to end the contest.
Head coach Tom Sowinski's Queens squad is back in action Saturday (Mar. 12), when it travels to Brookhaven, N.Y., for a 12 noon, neutral-site doubleheader against Concordia College.
