FLUSHING, N.Y. – The Queens College baseball team continues East Coast Conference as they open their three-game series against nationally-ranked #22/#2 and defending ECC Champions Molloy College Lions Friday (Apr. 29) afternoon at Hennekens Stadium.
The series will conclude in Uniondale, N.Y. with a Saturday (Apr. 30) afternoon doubleheader against the Lions.
Battle for ECC Regular Season Crown (
ECC Standing Link)
The regular-season title and the number one seed for the ECC Baseball tournament is in play as both the Knights and Lions are tied for first place with a record of 13-2 in conference play. Queens has won their ECC series against D'Youville
(3-0), Lincoln
(3-0), Staten Island
(3-0), St. Thomas Aquinas
(2-1), and Bridgeport
(2-1). On the other side, Molloy has won series over Lincoln
(3-0), St. Thomas Aquinas
(2-1), Mercy
(2-1), Bridgeport
(3-0) and Staten Island
(3-0).
Watch the Knights in Flushing – Friday (Apr. 29)
Watch the Knights on the Road – Saturday (Apr. 30)
Molloy Series History
In 96 overall meetings, the Knights are 34-62 against the Lions dating back to the first meeting in the 1993 series. Queens opens the series on a four-game losing streak against Molloy. The Knights were swept last season but earned a series split against the Lions in 2019 including a key road win to earn a postseason spot.
The Knights will be looking for their series victory over the Lions since the 2001 season when they won 2-1.
Scouting the Knights
Queens
(21-11 overall, 13-2 ECC) are coming off a series victory over Bridgeport as the Knights outscored the Purple Knights 28-3 in the Saturday doubleheader.
The Knights moved up to the seventh spot in the NCBWA poll released on Monday afternoon, but find themselves outside of the NCAA East Regional rankings released Wednesday afternoon.
As a team, the Knights are batting .299, .872 OPS, and .464 slugging % with 313 hits, 199 RBIs, 30 home runs, and are 40-45 in stolen bases attempts.
Senior
Louis Antos (West Islip, N.Y.) leads the offense batting .473
(tied for first in the nation) with OPS of 1.333, .795 slugging % with 53 hits, 13 doubles, a triple, seven home runs, and 32 RBIs. Antos has been named East Coast Conference Player of the week three times and twice NCBWA East Regional Player of the Week.
While freshman
Marc Cisco (Long Island City, N.Y.) has been named ECC Rookie of the Week on four occasions. The rookie is batting .443 with a 1.218 OPS, .687 slugging % with 51 hits, nine doubles, two triples, five home runs, and 33 RBIs.
In the Knights' 3-1 week last week, sophomore
Andrew Smith (Hampton Bays, N.Y.) went on a tear as the sophomore went 8-for-15 with three doubles, seven RBI, and four runs scored in the 3-1 week. Against Jefferson, Smith went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI to open the rally in the 9-4 victory before the sophomore went 6-for-8 with two doubles, five RBI, and three runs scored in the Saturday sweep over Bridgeport. In game three, Smith just missed going perfect at the plate as he went 4-for-5 with a double and two RBI.
His performance earned him an ECC Honor Roll spot for the first time this season.
Expected starters for the Knights:
Game 1 Friday –
Julien Arcos (Glenwood, N.Y.) (4-2 overall record)
Game 2 Saturday –
Rob Backus (Merrick, N.Y.) (3-1 overall record)
Game 3 Saturday –
Liam Pulsipher (East Moriches, N.Y.) (4-4 overall record)
Scouting the Lions
Molloy (
28-11 overall, 13-2 ECC) is coming off a 15-1 victory over Caldwell University Tuesday afternoon.
The Lions are ranked nationally at #22 in the NCBWA poll and are second in the NCAA East Region poll released Wednesday afternoon.
As a team, the Lions are batting .324, .882 OPS, and .458 slugging % with 329 runs scored on 434 hits.
The offense is led by Matt Overton boasting a team-high .361 batting average with 53 hits, 15 doubles, five home runs, and 35 RBIs. while Thomas Brady holds a .360 batting average with 54 hits, 10 doubles, home run, and 34 RBIs.
On Monday Vincent Pecora was named ECC Player of the Week as he hit his first career home run in game two against CSI on Saturday. To cap the week, he went 6-of-12 at the plate with seven walks, seven runs scored, five stolen bases, four RBIs, and one home run.
Expected starters for the Lions
Game 1 Friday –
Charlie Cucchiara (6-0 overall record)
Game 2 Saturday –
Mike Andreoli (8-2 overall record)
Game 3 Saturday –
Billy Wildeman (6-1 overall record)
Last Week of the Regular Season
The Knights return to non-conference play on Tuesday (May. 3) afternoon as they welcome Goldey-Beacom University to Flushing. The first pitch is set for 3:00 p.m.
Following Goldey-Beacom, the Knights will non-conference play with a matchup against Wilmington University on Wednesday (May. 4) afternoon in Flushing. The first pitch is set for 3:00 p.m.
Queens will conclude the regular season with a three-game series against Mercy College in conference play. Game one will see the Knights travel to Dobbs Ferry, N.Y. on Friday (May. 6) before hosting Mercy for a Saturday (May. 7) afternoon doubleheader on Senior Day.
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