MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – The 2023 Queens College baseball team opened their season in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina as the Knights went up against three regional opponents in defending East Region champs Southern New Hampshire University Penmen, the Eagles of Post University and the Griffins of Chestnut Hill College.
The Knights would drop game one to the Penmen on Friday (Feb. 24) evening, before earning a Saturday (Feb. 25) evening split against the Eagles.
Queens would conclude their trip on a high note with a victory over the Griffins to leave the warm weather with an overall record of 2-2.
Over the course of four games, head coach
Chris Reardon and the coaching staff gave debuts to 10 new Knights donning the Knights color in junior
Francis Segarra (Bronxville, N.Y.) senior
Anthony Fontana (Wantagh, N.Y.), and the rookie trio of
Andrew Ramirez (Walnut, CA), Joey Patane (Commack, N.Y.), and
Jorsixt Jimenez (Queens, N.Y.)
While on the pitching side, rookie
Christopher Naronis (Floral Park, N.Y) earned his first career start, while rookie
Ben Nosovitch (Carle Place, N.Y.), junior
Nick Kozerski (Hicksville, N.Y.), freshman
Christian Duarte made their pitching debut out of the bullpen. While sophomore
Blake Jefremow (Bayside, N.Y.) made his Knights debut after an injury saw him miss last season.
Segarra began his Knights career on a strong note as he tallied in seven hits (7-18 AB), one double, one triple, and one home run to go with three runs and a team-high eight RBI. While Jorsixt earned three starts while appearing in four games knocked in four hits with a triple as he recorded four RBI with one run scored.
While senior outfielder
Reed Hoskins (Freeport, N.Y.) led the Knights with a team-high batting averaging .444 knocking in four hits, two doubles, and two RBI. Teammate
Jayson Rodopoulos (Scarsdale, N.Y.) continued his love affair with Myrtle Beach knocking in five hits with one double to go with two RBI and three runs scored.
As the seniors did their part, the sophomore duo of
Marc Cisco (Long Island City, N.Y.) and
Matt Filip (Maspeth, N.Y.)combined for six hits, one double with six runs and four RBI.
Carrying his 13-game hitting into 2023, Cisco's streak would end at 15 games, while the 27-reached base streak extended to 31 games.
In game one, junior righty
Jordan Sanabria (Woodside, N.Y.) earned the first start of the season as the Knights took the Penmen for the second straight season in Myrtle Beach.
It would be a shaky start for Sanabria as the Penmen tallied in five runs off the first two innings of play. Queens would get a run back in the bottom half of the first inning as senior
Anthony Fontana (Wantagh, N.Y.) tallied a single to left field allowing Jay. Rodopoulos to score.
As Sanabria
(0-1) settled in to limit the Penmen to one hit over the next three innings, the Knights' offense was unable to find the hit they were looking to cut a 5-1 deficit down to any number as they left six runners on base in the first six innings of play.
With the Knights unable to complete the rally, SNHU would put away the game as they tallied five insurance runs to defeat Queens 10-2 Friday evening.
In game one of Saturday's doubleheader against the Eagles, The Knights would break the bats open as they tallied 10 hits led by Segarra's
(4-5 AB, 2B, 3B, R, 3RBI) career-day as the junior fell short of hitting for the cycle. While the trio of Cisco
(2-4 AB, 2R, BB), Jimenez
(2-5 AB, RBI), and Hoskins
(2-3 AB, 2B, RBI, BB) combined for six hits.
While senior
Liam Pulsipher (East Moriches, N.Y.) (W 1-0, 6.0 IP, 4H, 2ER, 3BB, 4) earned the game one start and would pitch six solid innings before senior reliever
Danny Gargano (Middle Island, N.Y.) (S1, 3.0 IP, 1H, 3K) went three innings to earn his first save of the season as Queens bounced back from Friday's loss.
As the Eagles took a 2-0 lead to begin the game, Queens would quickly tie the game as Jimenez and Hoskins's RBI knotted the game 2-2 after the first inning of play.
Segarra would put Queens up 4-2 with a triple to right field before a sac fly from Filip gave the Knights a 5-3 lead after four complete innings of play.
With the Eagles not going down without a fight, they would trim the Knights' lead down to one, 5-4 before Segarra's fourth hit of the evening gave Queens a 6-4 lead and the insurance needed to earn their first victory of the season.
With Gargano now having to work with a 6-4 lead, the Middle Island native would shut the door in the ninth giving Queens their first win of the season.
In the nightcap, Naronis
(0-1) earned his first career start on the mound but the Eagles would get the better of the rookie as they tallied three runs in his four innings of work.
The Knights' bat would be shut down for the first five innings of play as they trailed 3-0 heading into the sixth inning. Hoskins and Jimenez would tally back-to-back RBI as they cut their deficit down to 3-2 but the Eagles would hold their nerve to earn a split of Saturday's doubleheader.
Looking to leave their trip on a high note, the Knights took a commanding lead of 7-1 after four innings of play against the Griffins Sunday afternoon.
Senior
Dean Fazah (Queens, N.Y.) earned the start in final game of the weekend, but as the Griffins tallied eight hits off of Fazah, the Queens native would keep the damage to three runs.
But a 7-3 advantage would soon become 7-5 after six innings of play. But in the eighth inning, the Knights would break the game open as they scored five runs on three hits, none bigger than the three-run home by Segarra over left field as the junior completed his weekend hitting for the cycle.
During the 2022 season, consistent injuries would keep senior
Stephen Castro (Bayside, N.Y.) off the mound periodically but for the first time in his career, the Bayside native would make his first double appearance of the weekend as he entered the ninth to close out the game and officially give Queens their second win of the weekend.
UP NEXT: Head coach
Chris Reardon and the Knights will have the next two weeks off before they return to action on Saturday (Mar. 11) afternoon in Wilmington, DEL as they match up against the Lightning of Goldey-Beacom College. First pitch set for noon.
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