FLUSHING, N.Y. – On Monday afternoon the Queens College baseball team wrapped up their four-game East Coast Conference series against the Lincoln University (PA.) Lions with a nine and seven inning doubleheader.
In game three of the series, the Knights totaled 10 hits led by four multi-hit performances led by graduate student center fielder
Phillip Krpata (Farmingdale, N.Y.) (2-5 AB, 2R, SB), sophomore right fielder
Jorsixt Jimenez (Flushing, N.Y) (2-4 AB, 2 2B, RBI, R), redshirt junior shortstop
Francis Segarra (Bronxville, N.Y.) (2-4 AB, RBI), and junior outfielder
Leo Alvarez (Oceanside, N.Y.) (2-4 AB, RBI) as they combined for eight this, three RBI and three runs scored.
While the duo of junior first baseman
Matt Filip (Maspeth, N.Y) (1-2 AB, RBI, 3BB) and freshman second baseman
Adam Gonzalez (Commack, N.Y) (1-4 AB) combined for two hits, RBI and three walks.
But fielding errors would hurt for the second time this series but they fell in a heartbreaking loss to the score of 5-4 in game one to see a four-game win streak come to an end.
While in the nightcap, the offense recorded eight hits led by Jimenez
(2-3 AB, HR, 3RBI, R) and Filip
(2-3 AB, HR, 2RBI, R) combining for four hits, five RBI, and two runs scored. Jimenez recorded his 10th multi-hit and ninth multi-RBI game of the year, while Filip notched his fourth multi-hit and second multi-RBI game of the year.
While Segarra
(1-3 AB, R), junior third baseman
Robert Jacobsen (Temecula, CA) (1-3 AB), junior catcher
Thomas Napolitano Jr. (Scottsdale, AZ.) (1-2 AB, BB) and junior second baseman
Elquin Rodriguez (Washington Heights, N.Y.) (1-3 AB, HR, RBI, R) combined for four hits, RBI, and two runs scored as Queens rallied to earn a 6-3 game four victory.
On the mound, rookie righty
Michael Vilardi (Massapequa, N.Y.) (W, 3-0 5.2 IP, 8H, 2ER, BB, 5K) and senior closer
Danny Gargano (Middle Island, N.Y.) (S, 3 1.1 IP, H, 2K) combined to keep the Lions offense at bay as they were limited to nine hits, three runs
(two of them earned), with seven strikeouts as Vilardi earned his third career victory and Gargano shutting the door to earn his third save of the year.
With the Monday afternoon split, the Knights improved to 12-8 overall on the year and open conference play with a 3-1 record for the second straight season.
Earlier in the day the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association
(NCBWA) announced week six of the East Regional poll and the Knights moved back to the fifth spot following their undefeated 3-0 week from March 18 to March 25.
GAME THREE RECAP (QUEENS 4, LINCOLN 5)
Game three of the series started on a good note as the Knights took a 1-0 lead following a RBI single through the side from Filip to score Krpata.
As Queens continued to keep the Lions off the scoreboard through four complete innings of play, fielding errors would hurt the Knights as the visitors took a 4-1 lead following the completion of the fifth inning of play.
The Knights' offense would be kept quiet until the seventh inning of play as a RBI single up the middle from Segarra scored Jimenez as the Knights cut their deficit down to 4-2.
Queens would get another run back in the home half of the eighth as Jimenez recorded his second double of the day to score Krpata as the Knights were now within one run, 4-3 heading into the final inning of play.
But a costly fielding error would give the Lions an extra run to defend heading into the home half of the inning.
The ninth inning opened with Filip earning a walk before a Lions fielding error put two runners on base with no outs. A sac bunt would advance both runners into scoring position before Alvarez just missed a walk-off three-run blast but it would result in a run as the Knights were able to cut their score down to 5-4 and bring the tying run to third base.
But the Lions would earn the game three victory as they struck out the last batter to earn a 5-4 victory as Queens were left to rue six fielding errors and 12 runners on base to drop their first ECC game of the year.
GAME FOUR RECAP (QUEENS 6, LINCOLN 3) – 7 Innings
The final game of the series started with both sides being retired in order in the first inning before the Lions took advantage of another fielding error to open the scoring in the top of the second inning.
The Lions would threaten again in the top of the third inning with a one-out double and single but the Knights defense would turn a double play as Vilardi induced the fourth batter of the inning into a 5-6-3 to end the inning.
With one out in the home half of the third, Rodriquez recorded his first home run of the year with a solo shot to left field as the Knights tied the game at 1-1.
But the Lions wasted no time retaking the leading as they used three hits to take a 3-1 lead following the completion of the top of the third inning.
Filip and Jacobsen opened the home half of the fourth with back-to-back singles but the Lions would turn a double play of their own to avoid any damage and keep their 3-1 lead intact.
As Vilardi worked out of a one-out base runner to keep the Knights' deficit at 3-1 after the top of the fifth, the Knights offense would erupt for five runs in the bottom frame using two long balls.
As Alvarez earned a six-pitch at walk, the Lions would get the first out before a fielding error put runners on the corners for the Knights.
As Krpata stole second base, Jimeenz starring a 2-2 count would blast his fourth home run of the year with a three-RBI blast to right center as Queens took a 4-3 lead.
Still with only one out, Segarra kept the line moving as he laced the first pitch of his bat up the middle before Filip starring at a 1-2 count recorded the second home run of the inning with his second home run of the year with a two-run blast to right center as the Knights provided their pitching staff extra runs to defend as Queens took a 6-3 lead following the conclusion of the fifth inning of play.
Vilardi opened the sixth inning with back-to-back grounders before a double to right field saw the Knights turn to closer Gargano to finish the game. Gargano would end the sixth as he got the fourth batter to fly out to left field to leave the base runner stranded at second base.
Heading into the final inning of play, Gargano would get the first batter to pop up to Rodriguez at second base before a double down the left field gave the Lions a base runner.
But the Middle Island native would get the second out of the inning with his first strikeout of the day before the Lions added drama as an interference call and hit by pitch put the tying run at first base.
But Gargano would dig deep to hold off the Lions' rally to end the game with his second strikeout of the inning as Queens earned a 6-3 nightcap victory and earned their first ECC series victory of the year.
Next Pitch
It will be short rest for the Knights as they open a three-game road trip beginning with a trip to East Stroudsburg, PA on Tuesday (Mar. 26) afternoon as they match up against nationally ranked #17 East Stroudsburg University Warriors of the PSAC conference in non-conference play. It will be the first ever matchup against the Warriors who enter the week with an overall record of 19-3 and are riding a 16-game winning streak. First pitch is set for 3:30 p.m.
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