FLUSHING, N.Y. – Opening a four-game non-conference series with a Saturday afternoon doubleheader, the Queens College baseball team welcomed NE10 foe Greyhounds of Assumption University to Hennekens Stadium.
In Game One both teams combined for 25 hits as the Knights were led by the sophomore duo of right fielder
Jorsixt Jimenez (Flushing, N.Y.) (3-5 AB, RBI, 2R) and left fielder
Joey Patane (Commack, N.Y.) (3-5 AB, R) who combined for six hits, three runs scored and one RBI. While graduate student center fielder
Phillip Krpata (Farmingdale, N.Y.) (2-5 AB, RBI) knocked in his second multi-hit game of the year.
While junior third baseman
Robert Jacobsen (Temecula, CA) (1-4 AB, BB), junior first baseman
Matt Filip (Maspeth, N.Y.) (1-5 AB, 2B, RBI), junior
Thomas Napolitano Jr. (Scottsdale, AZ.) (1-5 AB) and junior second baseman
Elquin Rodriguez (Washington Heights, N.Y.) (1-3 AB, R, BB) combined for four hits in game one.
But it would be the Greyhounds who take game one of the day as they earned an 11-4 victory.
In the nightcap, the Knights held to three hits as they were led by Filip
(1-4 AB, RBI), Napolitano Jr.
(1-4 AB), and Rodriguez
(1-3 AB, BB, R) who combined for the three hits on the afternoon.
While Filip and junior right fielder
Leo Alvarez (Oceanside, N.Y.) combined for two RBI on the day.
On the mound in game two, senior righty
Jordan Sanabria (Woodside, N.Y.) (6.0 IP, 8H, ER, 5K) and senior righty
Danny Gargano (Middle Island, N.Y.) (W, 1-0 3.0 IP, 3H, 2BB, 4K) combined to keep the Greyhounds offense at bay as they were limited to two runs on 11 hits before Gargano earned his first victory of the year as Queens earned a 3-2 walk off in the bottom of the ninth inning.
With the Saturday doubleheader split, Queens improved their record to 7-6 overall. Also, the Knights ended a four-game losing streak against Assumption earning their first victory since March 17, 2018, when they earned a 5-3 victory in Flushing.
GAME ONE RECAP (QUEENS 4, ASSUMPTION 11)
It was three scoreless innings to open the game with junior righty
Caleb Cassie (Vancouver, B.C.) (L, 0-1 4.2 IP, 7H, 5ER, 3BB, 6K) recording five straight strikeouts to open the game.
The Greyhounds opened the scoring in the top of the fourth as the visitors rallied on two outs to take a 1-0 lead.
But the Knights would waste no time as Jimenez opened the home half of the fourth with a single to center field before stealing second base. After a wild pitch advanced Jimenez to third case, the Greyhounds would get the first out before redshirt junior shortstop
Francis Segarra (Bronxville, N.Y.) tied the game with a sac fly out to right field to score Jimenez.
However, Assumption wasted no time retaking the lead as they used three hits and two walks to take a 5-1 lead after the completion of the top of the fifth
Looking to respond Patane opened the bottom of the fifth with a single through the left side before the Greyhounds got the first out. Next batter Rodriguez battled for eight pitches to earn a walk before a RBI single to left center field from Krpata drove home Patane as Queens cut the score down to 5-2. As the visitors got Jacobsen to fly out to left field for the second out, it would be deep enough to advance Rodriguez to third before Jimenez delivered with the Knights' third hit of the inning with a RBI single to left center field as the Knights were now within two runs, 5-3 after the completion of the fifth inning.
Queens would keep Assumption off the scoreboard over the next two innings as they looked to keep cutting into the deficit.
In the bottom of the seventh, the Greyhounds opened the inning with two straight outs before Jimenez extended the inning with a single to right center. Queens would get within one as Filip delivered with a RBI double to center field as the Knights were now within one, 5-4.
A hit by pitch to Segarra would extend the inning as the Knights had the tying run at second base but the visitors would avoid further damage as they got the sixth batter of the inning to ground to the shortstop to end the inning.
But the visitors would put the game away with a five-run eighth and a run in the ninth to take game one of the series to the final score of 11-4 as it would be missed opportunities for the Knights offense who combined to leave 12 base runners stranded.
GAME TWO RECAP (QUEENS 3, ASSUMPTION 2)
In a seven-inning nightcap game, the runs flow came to a slow halt as Sanabria and Gargano kept the Greyhounds' offense to two runs on 11 hits, whereas the Knights' offense was limited to three hits.
In the top of the second Assumption used a single and wild pitch to their advantage to take a 1-0 lead before a fielding error saw them take a 2-0 lead after the conclusion of the top of the fifth inning.
Entering the home half of the fifth, the Knights had been retired in order with Assumption stater working a perfect game. After the Greyhounds retired their 13
th batter in a row, Napolitano Jr. and Rodriquez would record back-to-back singles to break the perfect game. But with one out and runners on first and second, the Greyhounds would retire the next two batters to keep their lead intact.
Assumption led off the top of the sixth with a single but Sanabria would keep the Greyhounds off the scoreboard as he struck out the next two batters before getting the third batter to ground out right back to him for the final out.
Down to their last six outs, Alvarez would reach base on a throwing error by the catcher before advancing to second base to open the home half of the sixth.
A passed ball would advance Alvarez to third before Krapta worked a seven-pitch walk giving the Knights runners on the corner with no outs.
As the Greyhounds got the first out, a failed picked-off attempt to get Krpata out at second would allow Alvarez to score and cut the score line down to 2-1.
Queens would take advantage of fielding errors as the Knights were able to tie the game 2-2 but would leave the bases loaded heading into the top of the seventh.
With Sanabria's outing complete for the day, Queens turned to Gargano to close the game out.
The Knights' defense would be tested over the three next innings as they worked around two base runners to keep the game tied.
But Queens would answer with base runners of their own in the seventh and eighth but each time the defense would prevail until the ninth inning.
The Greyhounds opened the ninth with a double down the left field line before a sac bunt advanced the runner to third base. Gargano would get the third batter of the inning to pop out to Rodriquez before a walk had runners on the corner.
But the senior closer would end the inning with his fourth strikeout of the day to give the Knights another chance to walk it off.
Rodriguez reached base on another fielding error to open the ninth before the Greyhounds got the first out of the inning. As Rodriguez stole second base, rookie
Frank Romano (West Islip, N.Y.) worked a five-pitch walk but a passed ball would allow Rodriguez to advance to third base.
With the winning run at third base, next batter Alvarez would deliver the winning run with a sac fly out to right center field as Rodriguez scored to give the Knights a 3-2 walk-off victory and earn a Saturday doubleheader split.
Next Pitch
The Knights conclude the four-game series with a Sunday (Mar. 17) afternoon doubleheader against the Greyhounds. First pitch is set for noon.
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