FLUSHING, N.Y. - The Queens College baseball team put together a five-run eighth inning Saturday afternoon at Ray Metski Field, but was not able to overcome a nine-run deficit as the Knights fell in East Coast Conference action to the University of Bridgeport, 9-5.

QC battled back from a 9-0 deficit with a five-run eighth frame. Sophomore Chris Ramanauskas (Staten Island, N.Y.) smacked a double down the right-field line to plate classmate Joe Salanitri (W. Islip, N.Y.; 2-for-5, 2B) with the first run of the inning, before junior Anthony Mazzella's (Wantagh, N.Y.) second double of the afternoon scored Ramanauskas and freshman Nick LoBello (Baldwin, N.Y.; 1-for-3, 2 BB). Junior Steven Varela's (Glendale, N.Y.) single to left field brought home freshman C.J. Gerdowsky (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and junior Warren Kelly (New Hyde Park, N.Y.) to cut the score to 9-5.

Junior Rob Bernardo (Staten Island, N.Y.) and Mazzella each went 2-for-5 for the Knights, while junior reliever Jordan Wiener (Flushing, N.Y.) pitched 6.1 innings out of the bullpen, scattering four hits, two runs (one earned) and four walks while striking out six.

Head coach Tom Sowinski's Knights are within one game in the loss column of the fourth and final playoff spot in the East Coast Conference Championships, behind both Molloy and Bridgeport. Queens and UB will now play a doubleheader to round out their season series, Sunday at 1 p.m. at West Haven (Conn.) High School.