FLUSHING, N.Y. – Opening their final East Coast Conference series of the year Friday afternoon the Queens College baseball team welcomed nationally ranked #14 Molloy University Lions to Hennekens Stadium for game one.
The Knights offense tallied seven hits led by junior first baseman
Matt Filip (Maspeth, N.Y.) (1-4 AB, 2RBI), junior third baseman
Robert Jacobsen (Temecula, CA) (1-3 AB, 2B, RBI), sophomore right fielder
Jorsixt Jimenez (Flushing, N.Y.) (1-3 AB, RBI, R, BB), senior shortstop
Francis Segarra (Bronxville, N.Y.) (1-4 AB, RBI), senior center fielder
Phillip Krpata (Farmingdale, N.Y.) (1-3 AB, BB, SB), rookie left fielder
Michael Vilardi (Massapequa, N.Y.) (1-2 AB, R, BB) and senior catcher
Nick Barreiros (Seaford, N.Y.) (1-3 AB, R, BB) as they combined for seven hits, five RBI and three runs scored.
On the mound righty
Jordan Sanabria (Woodside, N.Y.) (W, 6.0 IP, 0H, 0ER, 7BB, 6K) earned the game start as he led the Lions hitless through six innings of play allowing seven walks and six strikeouts to earn his fourth victory of the year before the bullpen trio of junior righty
Nick Kozerski (Hicksville, N.Y.) (2.0 IP, 2H, 2R, ER, 2BB), senior righty
Danny Gargano (Middle Island, N.Y.) (0.1 IP, 2H, 2R, ER, BB) and freshman righty
Peter Nenadich III (Bayside, N.Y.) (S, 1 0.2 IP, K) combined to hold the Lions to four hits, two earned runs and one strikeout as Nenadich III closed out the game to earn his first career save as Queens earned a 5-4 victory over the Lions and a crucial ECC victory.
With the victory, the Knights improved to 29-15 overall and 15-6 in ECC play as Queens opened their last ECC series of the year on a strong note. Friday's win also gives Queens their first win over the Lions in Flushing since the 2019 season.
GAME ONE RECAP (QUEENS 5, MOLLOY 4)
Both starting pitchers would match each other to begin the game as Sanabria's worked out of two bases runners in the top of the first before the Lions worked out of a Jacobsen's double down the left field in the home half of the first.
It would be a 1-2-3 in the second inning for both sides before Sanabria retired his fifth straight batter to open the top of the third. But for the second time in three innings, the Lions would get a runner on base before the senior struck out the third batter of the inning for the second out.
Barreiros would get the runner caught stealing second base with a 2-6 play to end the third inning of play before Queens opened the scoring in the home half of the third.
Rookie Vilardi opened the third with a single through the left side before Barreiros singled to right field as Queens had runners on second and first base to open the frame. Krpata battled for an eight-pitch walk as Queens loaded the bases with no outs.
Staring at a 2-1 count, Jacobsen would deliver with a sac fly out to left field to score Vilardi from third base as Queens took an early lead of 1-0. The Lions would avoid further trouble to end the inning but Queens had given Sanabria's a run to work with to open the top of the fourth.
The senior opened the fourth with a line out to right field before a walk and fielding error put two runners on base. But Sanabria would keep both runners at bay as he ended the inning with a fly out to center field before notching his fifth strikeout of the day to keep the 1-0 lead intact.
The Lions would threaten again in the fifth as they loaded the bases behind two walks and a hit by pitch but for the second straight inning, the senior would prevail as he notched his sixth strikeout of the day to keep the three Lions stranded on base to end the fifth.
Looking to provide insurance runs the Knights answered in the home frame as Krpata opened the inning with a single through the left side. But as the Lions got the first out, a walk and hit by pitch would load the bases before the visitors got the force play out at home play for the second out.
But with the bases still loaded, Filip would deliver with a scorching liner up the middle for a two-RBI single as Queens extended their advantage to 3-0. Next batter Segarra wasted no time looking at any pitches as he laced a RBI single to left field as Queens took a 4-0 lead after five complete innings of play.
With Sanabria's pitch count nearing the century, the senior opened the sixth with a ground out to third base before two more walks gave the Lions runners on base. But once again Sanabria would work out of trouble as he kept both runners stranded on base by getting the final two outs of the inning beginning with a fly out to Jimenez in right field and inducing a grounder to Segarra at shortstop to end the frame.
The Knights would another run to their tally in the home half of the sixth as Barreiros worked a five-pitch walk before Krpata advanced the senior to second on a sac bunt. But as the Lions got the second out, a RBI single up the middle from Jimenez would put the Knights up 5-0 as Barreiros scored from second base.
With Sanabria's outing complete after six innings of work allowing zero hits, and six strikeouts, the Knights turned to their bullpen to close out the game. The Lions would get their first hit of the game in the top of the seventh, however, reliever Kozerski would face the bare minimum as he got the next batter to fly out to Jimenez before the Hicksville native induced a grounder to Filip for a 3-6-3 double play to end the inning.
The Lions would get on the scoreboard in the top of the eighth using a RBI single and a throwing error to cut Queens' lead down to 5-2.
Leading 5-2 entering the top of the ninth Queens turned to senior closer Gargano to shut the door. But the #14 nationally ranked Lions team would not go down without a fight as they opened the ninth with a single to left center field. But Gargano would get the first out as Krpata made a diving catch in center field. As Gargano got the next batter to fly out, a dropped fly ball on a transfer would rule the batter safe before a walk loaded the bases.
The Knights' 5-2 lead would be cut down to 5-4 on a two-RBI double to left center as the Lions added drama. With the tying run at third base and the go-ahead run at second base, Queens would turn to rookie Nenadich III to close the game.
The rookie would show no nerves as the Bayside native induced a grounder to Segarra for the second out while keeping the tying run at bay at third base.
Down to the final out, Nenadich III would battle back from a 2-0 count to run the count to 2-2 before he induced a swinging strikeout for the final out as Barreiros made the clean throw at first base to end the game as the rookie earned his first save of the year and give Queens the 5-4 ECC victory over the Lions.
Next Pitch
Queens now travels to Uniondale for a Saturday (May 4) afternoon doubleheader against the Lions. First pitch is set for noon.
For the latest news on Queens College Athletics, follow the Knights at queensknights.com or via social media on Facebook (Queens College Athletics), X (Formerly Twitter) (@QCKnights), Queens College Baseball (@QC_Baseball) and Instagram (qcknightsny), QC Baseball (qcbaseball)
