FLUSHING, N.Y. – On a windy and chilly Thursday afternoon, the Queens College baseball team found their offensive rhythm as the Knights defeated the visiting Cougars of Caldwell University in non-conference action at Hennekens Stadium.
Queens tallied 13 hits to defeat the Cougars 11-1 as the freshman duo of
Justin Ventura (Lindenhurst, N.Y.) (1-3 AB, HR, 2RBI, 2R, BB) and
Matt Filip (Maspeth, N.Y.) (3-4 AB, 2B, 2HR, 3RBI) combined for three home runs and five RBIs to lead the way.
With the win, the Knights improved to 9-9 overall, while the Cougars moved to 6-11 on the season. Queens ended a six-game losing streak in non-conference play and picked up their first win at home since they defeated Post University on March 8 to the score of 6-3.
Senior
Johnnie Rodopoulos (Scarsdale, N.Y.) (W, 1-0, 3.0 IP, 5H, BB, K) started on the mound for the first time this season. The Cougars opened the game with a single up the middle before Rodopoulos struck out the second batter for the first out before successfully picking off the runner at first for the second out. He would end the inning with a grounder to third for a clean first inning.
The Knights went to work right away as freshman
Marc Cisco (Long Island City, N.Y.) (3-3 AB, 3R, BB) earned an one out walk before senior
Louis Antos (West Islip, N.Y) (1-3 AB, 2B RBI, 2R, BB) got hit by a pitch to put runners on second and first. After the Cougars got the second out of the inning, a failed picked-off attempt at first base would allow Cisco to capitalize to score the first run of the game from second base. Ventura battled for seven pitches before lacing the eighth pitch of his at-bat for his first career home run to left field to put the Knights up 3-0.
After a third basemen error put Filip on base, sophomore
Nick Barreiros (Seaford, N.Y.) (1-3 AB, BB) extended the inning with a single through the left side before freshman
Juan De La Rosa (Dominican Republic) (1-3 AB, RBI) drove home Filip with a RBI single up the middle giving Queens a 4-0 lead after one complete inning of play.
Rodopoulos entered the second inning with a 4-0 lead and got the first out with a grounder to third base. But the Cougars would tally three straight singles to load the bases with one out. But as the visitors looked to cut into the Knights' advantage, Rodopoulos would escape the second inning as the Knights' defense picked up their starter. Rodopoulos would get the fifth batter of the inning to line out into a double play to Cisco at second base as the Knights caught the runner at second base off the base to end the inning.
Cisco led off the bottom half of the second with a single to right field before Antos doubled down the left-field line scoring Cisco putting the Knights up 5-0. Antos advanced to second base as the Cougars got the first out before Antos advancing to third on a wild pitch. The senior would put the Knights up 6-0 as he scored on the second wild pitch of the inning. With two out, Filip extended the home side advantage to 7-0 with his first career home run as he blasted a solo shot to left center field.
Rodopoulos began the third inning with back-to-back grounders to second base before he allowed a single and a walk. But he would work out of trouble as he got the third out to Filip in foul ball territory.
Leading 7-0, the Knights went into the bullpen as freshman
Dennis Lynch (Seaford, N.Y.) (2.0 IP, H, R, BB, 2K) made his first appearance of the season on the mound. Lynch would get two quick out using only two pitches before allowing a double into center field. The visitors would score their lone run of the game as the Caldwell runner stole third base before taking advantage of a throwing error to cut the Knights down to 7-1. But Lynch would end the inning with a pop-out to Cisco at second base.
Cisco began the home half of the fourth staying perfect with another single to right field before advancing to third base on another throwing error. He would score on a wild pitch to put the Knights up 8-1. Sophomore
Reed Hoskins(Freeport, N.Y.) (1-3 AB, R, BB) would knock in his second double of the season to keep the inning going before advancing to third on a wild pitch. As the next batter Ventura worked a four-pitch walk, Hoskins would score on another wild pitch giving the Knights a 9-1 lead.
Filip saw the first pitch go for a ball before he laced his second pitch for a RBI double scoring Ventura giving Queens a 10-1 lead after four complete innings of play.
Lynch worked a clean fifth inning with two strikeouts, but he would walk his first batter of the sixth inning before he saw his day come to a close as he was relieved by freshman
Joshuel Rodriguez (Bay Shore, N.Y.) (2.0 IP, 2H, 3K) as the Knights used three pitchers on the day. Rodriquez worked out of a two-hit Cougars inning to keep the lead at 10-1.
Filip would cap off the Knights scoring with his second solo shot of the afternoon with a blast to left field as the ball bounced off the 499 Elementary School wall.
Rodriquez would complete the solid afternoon for the Knights with a clean seventh inning as he ended the game with back-to-back strikeouts on a chilly afternoon for an 11-1 victory over the Cougars.
Notable: for the first time this season, the Knights have homered in four straights games as they extended their tally to 13 home runs in 18 games.
UP NEXT: Head coach
Chris Reardon and the Knights return to East Coast Conference play as they welcome the Lions of Lincoln University (PA.) to Flushing for the first time Friday (Apr. 1) afternoon for a three-game series. The first pitch is set for 3:00 p.m.
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