BRIDGEPORT, CONN- On a sunny Thursday afternoon, the Queens College Baseball team opened East Coast Conference (ECC) play against the University of Bridgeport Purple Knights at Seaside Park. Despite out-hitting Bridgeport in the hit column, Queens offense left 11 runners on base to suffer a 3-1 setback in game one of the three-game series.
Queens falls to 1-2 overall on the young season and 0-1 in ECC action. While Bridgeport moves to 1-0 overall, 1-0 in ECC play.
Playing their first conference game in over two years, the Knights were held to just four hits in the game, with a quartet of players collecting knocks. Junior shortstop
Corey Tingo (Selden, N.Y.) drove in the lone run for Queens with a single to center field.
The Knights found themselves in an early hole as the Purple Knights took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning off starter freshman righty
John Dougherty (Kings Park, N.Y). The Knights would respond in the next inning as freshman
Reed Hoskins (Freeport, N.Y.) worked a one-out walk. Next at-bat Freshman
Teovaldo Estevez (Bronx, N.Y.) singled to center field to bring up Tingo. With one out, runners on first and second, the Selden native would tie the game at 1-1 with a single to bring home Hoskins, however, the Purple Knights would get their second out as Estevez tried advancing to third on a wild throw from center field. After freshman third basemen
Evan Christopher (
(North Babylon N.Y.) worked a two-out walk to once again put two runners on base, freshman
Jordan Ramlogan (Hicksville, N.Y.) would ground into a fielder's choice to keep the game knotted at 1-1.
Making his first career start, Dougherty would keep the Purple Knights quiet for the next three innings as he saw his day end after going 4.0 IP, H, ER, 3BB, and 2K to earn the no-decision.
Sophomore lefty
Dean Fazah (Queens, N.Y.) made his second appearance out of the bullpen as he worked around a one-out walk to keep the game tied after five innings. Hoskins kicked off the top half of the sixth with a double down the left-field line. With a runner in scoring position, Estevez would advance Hoskins to third as he grounded out to the Purple Knights starter Anthony Martino. Unfortunately, Queens were unable to take the lead as Bridgeport prevented any further damage.
The Purple Knights would a 3-1 lead in the home half of the sixth as Fazah (0-1, 2.0 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 2 K) struggled with his location. After starting the inning with a walk, the Purple Knights would put runners in scoring position following a double by Andre Marchesseault. Anthony Pascale would give the home side the lead for good as his shot just evaded center fielder freshman
Colin Diez (Levittown, N.Y.). With Bridgeport still threatening to increase their advantage, the lefty pitcher would work out of the inning with three straight outs.
Down to their last six outs, freshman
Andrew Smith (Hampton Bays, N.Y.) doubled to center field to start the eighth inning collecting his second double of the year. The Knights would load the bases with freshman
Mike Tagliarini (
Brooklyn, N.Y.) getting hit by a pitch before Hoskins worked his second walk of the day. With the bases loaded, Queens were put in their best position of the day to come back in the ECC opener. But Bridgeport quickly replaced the struggling reliever William Ciccone with righty Justin Hafele to keep Queens at bay and earn the save for the home side.
UP NEXT: Queens concludes the three-game series against Bridgeport with a doubleheader on Saturday, Mar. 27 as baseball returns to Flushing for the first time since March 9, 2020, starting at noon.
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