NEW HAVEN, CONN. – Continuing non-conference play, the Queens College baseball team
(16-5 overall) travel to New Haven, Conn to open a three-game series against the Owls of Southern Connecticut State University
(16-6 overall) Friday afternoon at The Ballpark at SCSU.
In a matchup of two regional-ranked teams, the Knights rallied back for the second straight day before earning their first extra-inning victory of the season to defeat the Owls 4-3 in 10 innings.
In the opening game of the series, the Knights offense outhit the Owls 11-6 led by three multi-hit performances from senior
Jayson Rodopoulos (Scarsdale, N.Y.) (2-5 AB, R), sophomore
Marc Cisco (Long Island City, N.Y.) (2-4 AB, R, BB) and junior
Francis Segarra (Bronxville, N.Y.) (2-5 AB, RBI) as the trio combined for six hits.
While Segarra, junior
Nick Barreiros (Seaford, N.Y.) (1-4 AB, HR, RBI, R), and rookie
Jorsixt Jimenez (Queens, N.Y.) (0-4 AB, RBI) combined for three RBI on the afternoon.
On the mound, senior
Liam Pulsipher (East Moriches, N.Y.) (ND, 6.0 IP, 2H, 3BB, 4K), freshman
Christopher Naronis (Floral Park, N.Y) (ND, 2.0 IP, 2H, 3K) and junior
Danny Gargano (Middle Island, N.Y.) (W 1-0, 2.0 IP, 2H, ER, BB, 4K) combined to limit the hot bats of the Owls to six hits, one earned run as they struck out a combined 11 batters before Gargano earned his first win of the season.
Queens began the game with two base runners as Rodopoulos reached first base on a throwing error before Cisco earned a walk to give the Knights two base runners and no outs.
But the Owls would avoid damage as they retired the next three batters to keep the game scoreless.
As Pulsipher opened the home half of the first with a strikeout, he would walk the next batter. But the lefty would keep the Owls' offense at bay he induced a 1-6-1 double play to end the inning.
A double play would end the Knights inning in the top of the second before the Owls took advantage of a fielding error to take a 2-0 lead after two complete innings of play.
The southpaw would work two straight clean innings as he kept the Knights deficit at 2-0.
After the Owls opened the top of the fifth with an out, Barreiros tallied his second home run of the week with a solo blast down the left field line to bring Queens within one run, 2-1.
Sophomore
Joseph Cornielle (Bayside, N.Y.) (1-4 AB, R, SB) extend the inning with a single to right field before Rodopoulos singled to center field to give Queens runners on second and first base.
As the home side got the second out on a strikeout, Cornielle would steal third base before taking advantage of a throwing error to tie the game 2-2.
Segarra would give Queens a 3-2 lead with a RBI single to third base as the Knights rallied back on five hits.
Despite letting up his third walk of the day, Pulsipher kept his composure as he got the second batter to fly out to right field before inducing his second double play of the day to keep the Knights in front after five complete innings of play.
In the bottom of the sixth, the East Moriches native would allow just his second hit of the afternoon and first since the home half of the second. But the lefty stayed on course as he retired the next two batters to fly out to Rodopoulos in center field before ending the inning with a pick-off as he caught the base runner off guard as Queens continued to keep their 3-2 lead.
The Owls would avoid damage in the top half of the seventh before Naronis relived Pulsipher to hold the home offense at bay.
The Owls would open the seventh with a single but the rookie would strike out the side in order to keep the 3-2 advantage.
As the Knights were unable to add an insurance run in the top of the eight, Naronis would hold the home side offense bay and give away to Gargano heading into the bottom of the ninth inning.
Now in line for his seventh save of the season, the Owls would earn a walk before he struck out the next batter for the first out. But the home side would steal second base as they now had a runner in scoring position.
Gargano would get the third batter to foul out to Barreiros as Queens were one out away from earning a 3-2 victory. But a single through the left side would allow the home side to tie the game 3-3 before the junior got the final out to send the game to extra innings.
Playing in their first extra-inning game of the season, But as the Owls got the first out to open the 10
th inning, Cisco singled up the middle before the Owls got the second out.
The Owls looked to have gotten out of the inning as they got
Anthony Fontana (Wantagh, N.Y.) (1-5 AB) to strikeout but a passed ball would allow Fontana to reach first base while Cisco advanced to second.
Queens would load the bases as senior
Reed Hoskins (Freeport, N.Y.) (1-4 AB, 2B) earned a walk to bring up Jimenez.
On Thursday against Felician Jimenez had given the Knights a 13-12 lead as Queens rallied back from a 12-2 deficit with a two-RBI double but on Friday, the rookie would not need to swing his bat as he delivered the winning run as he got hit by a pitch to score Cisco from third as Queens reclaimed a 4-3 lead.
Now in line to earn his first win of the season, Gargano returned to the mound to complete the job as the righty retired the first two batters with back-to-back strikeouts.
But a two-out single to center field would put pressure back on the Middle Island native before a wild pitch advanced the tying run to second base. But Gargano would stay composed as he got the final batter of the inning on his third swinging strikeout of the inning to end the game and give Queens a 4-3 extra-inning victory.
UP NEXT: Head coach
Chris Reardon and the Knights conclude the three-game series on Sunday (Apr. 2) afternoon as they welcome the Owls to Hennekens Stadium for a doubleheader. First pitch set for 12:00 p.m.
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