STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – As Saturday's rain shifted the East Coast Conference series around, the Queens College baseball team
(13-5 overall, 2-1 ECC) traveled to Staten Island to continue the four-game series against the College of Staten Island Dolphins
(7-11 overall, 1-2 ECC) for a Sunday afternoon doubleheader at CSI Baseball Complex.
Queens earned the game one victory with a 15-5 victory before the Knights left 11 runners on base for a 3-1 game two loss.
With the Sunday afternoon split, Queens improves to 2-1 in conference play.
In game one of the doubleheader, all nine starters recorded hits as Queens tallied 15 hits led by four multi-hit performances from senior
Jayson Rodopoulos (Scarsdale, N.Y.) (2-6 AB, 2B, 2RBI, R, SB), senior
Anthony Fontana (Wantagh, N.Y.) (2-5 AB, 2B, 3RBI, R, SB), sophomore
Matt Filip (Maspeth, N.Y.) (2-5 AB, 2B, 2R) and freshman
Andrew Ramirez (Walnut, CA) (2-4 AB, 2B, 2RBI, 3R, SB), while Fontana and freshman
Jorsixt Jimenez (Queens, N.Y.) (1-3 AB, 2B, 3RBI, R, BB) tallied three RBI. While Rodopoulos, Ramirez, sophomore
Marc Cisco (Long Island City, N.Y.) (1-3 AB, 2B, 2RBI, 3R, 3BB), and senior
Reed Hoskins (Freeport, N.Y.) (1-2 AB, 2RBI, R, 2BB) tallied combined for eight RBI on the afternoon.
The offense combined for a season-high 15 RBI, and six doubles, while tying a season-high nine walks in the game one victory.
On the mound, senior
Dean Fazah (Queens, N.Y.) (W 3-1, 7.0 IP, 8H, 3ER, BB, 2K), freshman
Ben Nosovitch (Carle Place, N.Y.), (1.0 IP, H, BB, K) and senior
Stephen Castro (Bayside, N.Y.) led the way with Fazah earning his third win of the season.
In game two, the Knights tallied eight hits led by three multi-hit performances from junior
Francis Segarra (Bronxville, N.Y.) (2-4 AB, 2SB), Fontana
(2-3 AB, 2B, BB) and Ramirez
(2-3 AB, 2B), while the duo of Cisco
(1-4 AB, R) and Hoskins
(1-4 AB, RBI) tallied a hit each with Hoskins recording the lone RBI of the nightcap for Queens.
Game two starter rookie
Christopher Naronis (Floral Park, N.Y) (2-2, 5.2 IP, 7H, 3ER, 4BB, 3K) took the loss.
The Knights began game one with an early lead as Cisco earned a one-out walk before Segarra singled to right center to advance Cisco to third.
After Segarra stole second base, Fontana would give Queens a 1-0 lead as the senior grounded to second base allowing Cisco to score and Segarra to advance to third. Next batter Hoskins would double the Knights advantage with a RBI single to left field as Queens took a 2-0 lead.
The Dolphins would cut the deficit down to 2-1 in the bottom of the third as they tallied back-to-back hits with one out. But the Knights would avoid further damage as Fazah got the last two outs with a fly out to center field before ending the inning with a grounder to shortstop.
The Knights wasted no time in responding back to the Dolphins' run as they scored four runs on four hits in the top of the fourth. Filip began the inning with a single to left field before Ramirez advanced the sophomore to second with a single to left field.
The Dolphins would get the next two outs before Cisco answered a 2-1 count for a two RBI double down the left field line as Filip and Ramirez scored to Queens a 4-1 lead.
Segarra continued the inning earning a four-pitch walk before Fontana put the Knights up 5-1 with a RBI double up the middle. Next batter Hoskins would earn a walk to load the bases before Jimenez earned a bases-loaded walk as Queens took a 6-1 lead heading into the bottom of the fourth inning.
The Dolphins would get a run back in the bottom of the sixth with three straight hits with two outs before Fazah got the third out with a swinging strikeout.
Queens would officially break the game open in the top of the seventh with five hits including four doubles, two walks, and two hit by pitch as the visitors sent 13 batters to the plate for nine runs as Queens took a commanding 15-2 lead.
Despite the Dolphins getting two runs back in the bottom of the seventh and Fazah day done after the seventh inning, the duo of Nosovitch and Castro would put the game to rest allowing one hit for one run as Queens earned their second conference win of the season with a 15-5 victory.
In the nightcap, Queens began the game with a walk before Segarra singled to shortstop as Queens put two runners on base with one out. As the Dolphins got the second out, Rodopoulos and Segarra got a double steal as the Knights now had two runners in scoring position. But the Dolphins would avoid any damage as they got the third out with a looking strikeout.
Rookie Naronis earned his fourth straight start of his career but the Dolphins would get to the Floral Park native early on as they tallied three hits to take an early 3-0 lead after one complete inning of play.
As Naronis started to settle down, the Dolphins' defense would keep the Knights offense at bay.
In the top of the fourth, Fontana began the inning with a double to left center before advancing to third as the Dolphins got the next batter to fly out to right field. But Queens would leave Fontana stranded on third as the home side kept the Knights off the scoreboard.
The Knights would get another chance to cut into the scoring in the top of the fifth as Ramirez doubled down the left field line before a walk had Queens with runners on second and first with no outs. But once again the Dolphins' defense would keep the Knights offense off the scoreboard as they got three straight outs.
After giving up three runs in the first inning Naronis kept the Dolphins quiet for the remainder of the game as the rookie kept the score line at 3-0.
Down to their last three outs, and looking to rally for the second time in two days, the Dolphins got the first two batters to strikeout and fly out to right field. Down to their last out, Cisco extended the inning with a single to center field before Segarra singled through the left side and Fontana earned a walk to load the bases.
With the tying run at first base, Hoskins brought Queens within 3-1 with a RBI single to the shortstop. But the Dolphins avoided the Sunday afternoon sweep as they got the last batter to strikeout to earn the afternoon split to the final score of 3-1.
UP NEXT: Head coach
Chris Reardon and the Knights conclude the four-game series in Flushing on Monday (Mar. 27) afternoon as the Dolphins return to Hennekens Stadium. First pitch set for 3:00 p.m.
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