MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – Traveling to warmer climates in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina to open the 2024 season, the Queens College baseball team's first pitch of the year would come five hours later than they would have expected as lightning and rain showers in Myrtle Beach delayed the start of game one.
It would be a battle between two regionally ranked between as the Knights entered the week ranked #7 in the East Region as they matched up against Penmen of Southern New Hampshire University (/#4) for the third straight year in Myrtle Beach.
It would be a shutout throughout the first five innings before the Penmen opened the scoring in the sixth inning, and with the Knights trailing 1-0 heading into their final six outs of the game, the offense would rally with two outs in the bottom of the eighth with four hits and four runs to earn a 4-1 opening day victory.
The offense tallied seven hits led by junior middle infielder duo of second basemen
Marc Cisco (Long Island City, N.Y.) (2-of-4 AB, 2B, RBI, R) and redshirt junior shortstop
Francis Segarra (Bronxville, N.Y.) (2-of-4 AB, 2B, RBI, R) who recorded multi-hit games, while junior third basemen
Robert Jacobsen (Temecula, CA) (1-of-3 AB, 2B, 2RBI, BB), sophomore right outfielder
Jorsixt Jimenez (Flushing, N.Y.) (1-of-4 AB, R) and senior catcher
Nick Barreiros (Seaford, N.Y.) (1-3 AB, 2B) recorded their first hits of the year.
On the mound it would be stellar pitching outing led by senior RHP
Jordan Sanabria (Woodside, N.Y.) (5.0 IP, H, 3BB, 5K) and rookie RHP
Peter Nenadich III (Bayside, N.Y.) (W, 1-0 4.0 IP, 4H, ER, 2BB, 7K) as they limited the dangerous bat of the Penmen to five hits with one earned run and 12 strikeouts.
With the win Friday evening, the Knights earned their first opening day win since 2021 when the Knights defeated Caldwell. It is also the first time in program history the Knights earned a victory over the Penmen in nine games.
GAME RECAP
Earning his second start on opening day, Sanabria would lead the way as he limited the Penmen to one hit over his five innings of work.
Entering the fourth inning, Sanabria would leave one Penmen on base including keeping a runner stranded on third to end the inning. In the fourth, the Woodside native would walk the first two batters before he sent the next three batters down in order including two punchouts.
The Knights would get their first hit of the night in the bottom of the fourth as Cisco singled to left center with one out, but the Penmen would leave Cisco stranded on first base.
After sending the Penmen down in order, Sanabria's first outing of the year would come to an end as he limited SNHU to one hit.
The Knights would turn to rookie Nenadich III making his debut out of the bullpen to keep the SNHU batters at bay.
The Penmen would get a single to center but an excellent throw from graduate student center fielder
Phillip Krpata (Farmingdale, N.Y.) would get the runner out at second base to erase the base runner.
But an experienced Penmen squad would get to the rookie Nenadich III as they scored the first run of the game with a single to center field. But the Bayside native would leave two base runners stranded in scoring to end the inning with his first career punchout.
In the bottom of the sixth and seventh, the Knights opened the inning with a double but were unable to advance the runner further.
As the Penmen continued to keep the Knights off the scoreboard, Nenedich III would settle in as he kept SNHU at bay including punching out the side in the top of the eighth.
Down to their last six outs and trailing 1-0, Queens opened the home frame of the eighth on back-to-back strikeouts before Krpata earned the Knights' second walk of the night.
With the Knights looking to rally on two outs, Krpata began the comeback by stealing second base before a balk advanced him 90 feet away from tying the game up and with the Long Island native Cisco up to bat. The junior would deliver with a RBI double to right center as Queens tied the game at 1-1.
Having shifted the momentum, Jimenez would keep the line moving with a single to left field to advance Cisco to third base. Next batter Segarra would give the Knights a 2-1 lead with a RBI single to left field before Jacobsen tacked on two insurance runs with a two-RBI double to left center as Queens took a 4-1 lead.
Leading 4-1, Nenadich III would come out in the top of the ninth to complete the job by retiring the side in order to earn his first career win as Queens earned a 4-1 comeback victory to open the 2024 year on a positive note.
Next Pitch
The Knights continue the Myrtle Beach trip with a Saturday (Feb. 24) afternoon doubleheader against the Eagles of Post University. First pitch is set for 4:30 p.m.
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