DOBBS FERRY, N.Y.- Playing in cloudy conditions, the Queens College baseball team split their Friday doubleheader on the road against the Mavericks of Mercy College at Mercy Field. The Knights dropped the opening game of their East Coast Conference (ECC) series 6-2, before rallying back to win the nightcap 7-5 in non-conference action. 
 
With the split, the Knights improved to 7-6 overall, 5-5 in ECC play, while the Mavericks moved to 8-7 overall, 5-3 in ECC play. 
 
Game One: Queens 2, Mercy 6
 
The Knights took an early 1-0 to give their game one starter John Dougherty (Kings Park, N.Y.) (0-1, 4.1 IP, 7H, 3ER, 3BB, K) an early advantage. After freshman Colin Diez (Levittown, N.Y.) (2-4 AB, R, BB) started the game with a walk, before stealing second base. With one out, freshman Andrew Smith (Hamptons Bay, N.Y.) (2-4 AB, 2B, RBI) singled to left field before a throwing error from left field advanced both runners to third and second. The Knights would open the scoring book as freshman Reed Hoskins (Freeport, N.Y.) delivered with a sac fly out to right field to score Diez from third.
 
The Mavericks would respond in the home half of the first as they tallied Dougherty for two runs on three hits to take a 2-1. The home side would double their advantage with another run in the bottom half of the third to take a 3-1 lead. 
 
In the top of the fifth inning, the Knights would cut the deficit down to 3-2. The Knights started the inning with a base runner as freshman Jordan Ramlogan (Hicksville, N.Y.) earned a seven-pitch walk before the Mavericks got the next two batters out. With two-out, Smith produced with a RBI double to right-center for his fourth-double of the season as Ramlogan plated home to bring the Knights within one (3-2). 
 
Trailing 3-2, the Knights would leave two runners on base in the seventh inning. With two-outs, Diez singled to the pitcher to put a runner on first base. After the next Knights batter worked a walk and Smith up to bat, the Knights were in prime position to retake the lead. But the Mavericks would get out of the inning without any further damage as they got Smith to fly out to center field to end the inning. 
 
The Mavericks would add three insurance runs in the bottom of the seventh to put the game away as the Knights would go on to drop their fifth ECC game of the season 6-2. The Knights left eight runners on base, including six in scoring positions. 
 
Game Two: Queens 7, Mercy 5
 
Once again the Knights would the game with an early lead after the top half of the first inning. Diez (1-3 AB, 3R, 2BB, 2SB) started the nightcap with his third single of the day to extend his hitting streak to five games. Making his first career start at third base, freshman Juan Vasquez (Queens Village, N.Y.) (2-4 AB, 3R, RBI) singled to center field to put runners on second and first before Smith worked a walk to load the bases. Diez would score on a wild pitch to give the Knights a 1-0 lead. After Hoskins grounded out to the shortstop for the first out of the inning, freshman Mike Tagliarini (Brooklyn, N.Y.) (0-1 AB, 2BB) worked a walk to load the bases once again. The Knights would take a 2-0 lead as Ramlogan reached first base on a fielder's choice allowing Vasquez to score from third as the Mavericks were unable to get the double play. 
 
Making his first career start on the mound freshman Jordan Sanabria (Woodside, N.Y.) was put in a favorable position before even throwing his pitch. But the Mavericks would tally four hits for three runs on the rookie to take a 3-2 lead after one inning of play.
 
The Knights would quickly respond to retake the lead in the top half of the second inning. With two outs, Diez worked a seventh-pitch at-bat walk to continue the inning before stealing second base for his second stolen base of the day. For the third game in a row, the Levittown native has successfully stolen second before adding another in the fifth inning to bring his tally to eight on the year. Vasquez would knot the game 3-3 with a RBI single to center field for the first multi-hit game of his career as Diez scored from second. After Smith and Hoskins worked back-to-back walk to load the bases, Vasquez would score on a wild pitch as the Knights retook the lead (4-3).
 
Unwilling to go away, the Mavericks would retake the lead (5-4) as they started the bottom of the third frame with back-to-back hits on Sanabria. The home side would tie the game with a sac fly out to right field before retaking the lead on a passed ball. 
 
Trailing 5-4, the Knights would rally back in the top of the fourth inning on two hits for three runs as they took advantage of two Mavericks errors. With no outs, Queens would load the bases for the fourth time in the game as freshman James Mahoney (Levittown, N.Y.) (1-4 AB, R) singled to shortstop before Diez worked his second walk of the game. The Knights would the load as Vasquez would reach first base on a fielding error. Smith tied the game with another sac fly out to right field before Diez scored on a throwing error to give the Knights a 6-5 lead. After Vasquez advanced to third on a wild pitch, Hoskins (1-3 AB, RBI) extended the lead to 7-5 for his fourth RBI in three games. 
 
Reliving Sanabria, freshman Dante Interlandi (Massapequa, N.Y.) (W, 1-0, 2.0 IP H, 4BB, 3K) making his third pitching appearance of the season earned his first career win as he pitched 2.0 innings of relief allowing one hit with three strikeouts in his outing. The Massapequa native started his outing with a walk before the Maverick runner was put in scoring position on back-to-back wild pitches. But Interlandi kept himself composed as he struck out the side to maintain the 7-5 lead for the Knights.
 
Interlandi came out in the fifth inning and worked out of a single as he kept the Mavericks quiet. After allowing his fourth walk of the outing, Interlandi was relieved by freshman Evan Christopher (North Babylon, N.Y.) (1.0 IP, H, BB, 2K) as the Knights looked to stay in control. The Mavericks would put runners on second and first before Christopher got the first out at third base following a bunt by the Mavericks. The home side would then load the bases as the Knights allowed their seventh walk of the day. But Christopher would strike out the side leaving the Mavericks stranded with bases loaded. 
Leading 7-5, the Knights turned to Johnnie Rodopoulos (Scarsdale, N.Y.) (S, BB, 2K) to close out the game. After striking out the first batter, Rodopoulos would walk the eighth Maverick of the day as they looked to steal the game. But Rodopoulos would get the second out as he got the next batter to ground out to Vasquez at third base to prevent a runner in scoring position. Rodopoulos would earn his first save of the season as he got the last batter out on a swinging strikeout to end the game. 
 
With the game two win, the Knights end their five-game losing streak in Dobbs Ferry with their last win coming in the 2017 season. 
 
UP NEXT: The Knights welcome the Mavericks on Saturday (Apr. 17) to conclude the ECC three-game series with a Saturday afternoon doubleheader in Flushing. Game one is scheduled for a noon start. 
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