SPARKILL, N.Y. – The Queens College baseball team took to the road as they continued their three-game East Coast Conference (ECC) series against the nationally ranked #19 St. Thomas Aquinas College Spartans Saturday afternoon at Palisades CU Park.
The Knights were shut out in game one losing 12-0 before their late rally in game two fell just short as they dropped the seven-inning affair 5-4 in the nightcap.
The Knights move to 11-10 overall, 9-9 in ECC, while the Spartans improved to 19-3 overall, 13-3 in conference play
Game One: Queens: 0, STAC 12
The Knights were riding a season-high four-game winning streak heading into game two but were held hitless until the final frame as the freshman duo of
Daniel Deutsch (Northport, N.Y.) (1-1 AB) and
Nick Barreiros (Seaford, N.Y.) (1-1 AB) broke up the no-hitter.
The Knights left a total of four base runners as they dropped game one 12-0.
Game One: Queens: 4, STAC 5
After only being able to muster two hits in game one, the Knights outhit the Spartans seven to three in the nightcap. But a fielding error in the bottom of the first inning allowed the Spartans to capitalize as they used another long ball to score four runs.
After having been outscored 16-0 in 10 straight innings, the Knights responded in the top of the second inning. Deutsch started the inning with a walk before sophomore
Jayson Rodopoulos (Scarsdale, N.Y) (2-3 AB, SB) singled to the pitcher as the Knight had two runners on base with no outs. The Knights would cut into the deficit (4-1) as a throwing error allowed Deutsch to score from second base.
The Spartan would tally another run in the bottom of the fourth as they extending their lead to 5-1.
But the Knights showed no quit as they quickly responded in the top of the fifth frame. After freshman
Evan Christopher (North Babylon, N.Y.) (1-3 AB, R) singled to start the inning, classmate
Colin Diez (Levittown, N.Y.) (2-3 AB, 3B, R, RBI, BB) delivered with a triple down the right field line as Christopher plated home to bring the Knights within three (5-2). Next batter sophomore
Liam Pulsipher (East Moriches, N.Y.) brought the Knights within two (5-3) with a sacrifice fly out to left field allowing Diez to score.
Staring at another late rally to stun the Spartans as they were down to their last three out, Diez worked a one-out walk before the Spartans took the fielder choice scoring play allowing Pulsipher to reach first base but got Diez out at second. Trailing by two runs, freshman
Reed Hoskins (Freeport, N.Y.) (2-3 AB, 2B, RBI, BB) brought the Knights within one (5-4) scoring Pulsipher with a double to left field. With the tying run in scoring position and the potential winning run up in the batters' box. The Spartans got the last batter on a swinging strikeout to leave the Knights heartbroken as they fell 5-4 in game two.
UP NEXT: Down to their last week of regular season play and the last postseason up for grabs, the Knights enter into a crucial three-game ECC series against fellow CUNY member College of Staten Island Dolphins starting on Friday (May 7). Game one is slated for 2:00 p.m. start time.
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