Box Score

FLUSHING, N.Y. – Sophomore Warren Kelly went 2-for-4 with a two-run single in the bottom of the first inning Thursday afternoon at Ray Metski Field, but the Queens College baseball team could not hold its early lead, as the Knights dropped a 6-2 decision to visiting East Coast Conference counterpart Dowling College.

The Knights (10-30, 8-18 ECC), who received a gutsy pitching performance from freshman Robert Gaertner in emergency start situation, staked the right-hander to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. The pitcher led off the inning by reaching on an error, and stole second base. Two batters later, Gaertner moved up 90 feet on Chris Ramanauskas's double to left field, before the pair came home on Kelly's single down the right-field line.

The Golden Lions (18-23, 13-13 ECC) got back one run in the fourth inning, before registering a pair of unearned runs in the seventh frame to take the lead for good at 3-2. Dowling tacked on three more runs in the eighth inning to put the game out of reach.

Anthony Mazzella hit a triple and reached on a walk for Queens, while Robert Bernardo and pinch-hitter Connor Burke also recorded one hit apiece. Gaertner threw a complete-game nine-hitter with three walks, three earned runs and nine strikeouts.

The teams continue their weekend ECC series Friday afternoon in Shirley, N.Y., with first pitch set for 3:30 p.m.