FLUSHING, N.Y. – Defending East Coast Conference Champions the Queens College baseball team have concluded the regular season with an overall record of 30-17, 16-8 record in East Coast Conference play, and has earned the #3 seed to the ECC Baseball Double-Elimination Tournament.
 
After winning their second ECC title and first in over 25 years, 11th-year head coach Chris Reardon and the Knights will be looking for a successful title defense when postseason play gets underway on Thursday, May 9.

2024 East Coast Conference Baseball Championship

The Tournament is set for Thursday, May 9 to Saturday, May 11 in Uniondale, N.Y. at Mitchel Field hosted by Molloy University Lions.
 
Having earned the #3 seed, the Knights will open the tournament in Game One against the Co-Regular Season Champions and #2 seed Molloy University Lions at noon on Thursday. While on the other side of the bracket are the Co-Regular Season Champions and #1 seed D'Youville University Saints matching up against the #4 seed St. Thomas Aquinas College Spartans in game two at 3:00 p.m.
 
Friday, May 10 (Day 2)
Game 3: Loser of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 2 – 10:00 a.m.
Game 4: Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2 – 1:00 p.m.
Game 5: Winner of Game 3 vs. Loser of Game 4 – 4:00 p.m.
 
Saturday, May 11 (Day 3)
Game 6: Winner of Game 4 vs. Winner of Game 5 – 12:00 p.m.
Game 7: Game 6 participants – 30 minutes after completion of Game 6 (if necessary)

Scouting the #3 Seed Queens College Knights (30-17 Overall, 16-8 ECC) | Regionally Ranked #5 (NCBWA)

• Head coach Chris Reardon and the Knights finished the regular season with an overall record of 30-17, 16-8 in ECC play.
  • In the recent National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) East Region Week Twelve Poll, the Knights are ranked fifth in the region as they received 54 points. Earlier in the year, the Knights received votes in the National Poll for the first time since 1998.
  • The Knights have been ranked as high as third in the East Region Poll but have not dropped below five in the poll all year outside the first two polls of the year which took place before Queens got their 2024 schedule underway.
  • For the second straight year, Reardon and his squad broke the regular season program record for wins having totaled 30 wins, breaking last year's record of 29.
  • It is the second time in program history the Knights have recorded 30 wins following a record breaking year in 2023 when they finished the year with an overall record of 34-19.
• Queens is making their fifth straight appearance in the ECC Tournament, the longest active streak among the four teams in the postseason. The Knights have made themselves a regular side since breaking through in 2019.
  • For the second straight year the Knights have earned the third seed.
• Sophomore right fielder Jorsixt Jimenez (Flushing, N.Y.) leads the offense averaging a team-high .402 BA, 1.135 OPS%, .637 SLG% with 72 hits, 20 doubles, two triples, six home runs, 48 RBI, 46 runs scored to go with 29 walks and 16 stolen bases.
  • Jimenez has recorded 22 (13 (2), 7 (3), 2 (4)) multi-hit games to go with 15 (10 (2), 3 (3), 2 (4)) multi-RBI games on the year.
  • Jimenez has earned multiple honors on the ECC Baseball Weekly Report Sheet including a Player of the Week honors.
  • On Thursday (Apr. 4) Jimenez was named NCBWA East Regional Player of the Week for the first time this year.
• Junior second baseman Marc Cisco (Long Island City, N.Y.) has put together another stellar batting .352 with an OPS % of .912, SLG % of .454 notching 38 hits, eight doubles, one home run, 18 RBI, 15 walks, eight stolen bases and 29 runs scored.
  • Cisco has recorded nine (5 (2), 3 (3), 1 (4)) multi-hit games to go with three (2 (2), 1 (3)) multi-RBI games on the year.
  • Cisco has earned multiple honors on the ECC Baseball Weekly Report Sheet
• Sophomore Joey Patane (Commack, N.Y.) has put together a career year with a batting average of .326, OPS % of .906, SLG % .486 with 45 hits, seven doubles, three triples, three home runs, 26 RBI, 18 walks, and 28 runs scored.
  • On Monday (Apr. 15) Patane was named ECC Co-Player of the Week, his first top honors of the year.
  • The sophomore has recorded 13 (9 (2), 3 (3), 1 (4)) multi-hit games and six (4 (2), 2 (4) multi-RBI games on the year.
• Senior center fielder Phil Krpata (Farmingdale, N.Y.) has put together a solid year by batting .309, SLG % of 797, OB % of 387 notching 56 hits, nine doubles, one triple, one home run, 28 walks, 33 walks, 48 runs scored and 46 stolen bases on the year.
  • Krpata has been named ECC Co-Player of the Week once this year.
  • The 46 stolen bases ranks the senior second in the nation among Division II student-athletes.
• It was a slow start for junior first baseman Matt Filip (Maspeth, N.Y.) but the junior has been solid all year as he batted .272, OPS % of .791, SLG % of .437 notching 41 hits, seven doubles, six home runs (tied for first on the team), 19 walks, 27 runs scored and 35 RBI (second on the team).
  • Filip has earned multiple honors on the ECC Baseball Weekly Report Sheet including earning Player of the Week honors on the final weekly report sheet of the year.
  • In the ECC play despite missing one series due to injury Filip finished conference play batting .329, OPS % of 1.009, SLG % of .714,  with 23 hits, five doubles, five home runs, nine walks, 14 runs scored, and 23 RBI.
• On the mound, senior righty Jordan Sanabria (Woodside, N.Y.) has put together a stellar closing career and will be looking to close out his Knights career by helping the Knights successfully defend their 2023 title. On the year he has made 12 appearances while earning 11 starts with a record of 4-4, two complete game victories, and one shutout. He has pitched 70.0 innings allowing 61 hits, 26 earned runs, 29 walks, and has struck out 62 batters on the year.
  • Sanabria has been named to the ECC Weekly Report Sheet twice this year.
• While junior righty Caleb Cassie (Vancouver, B.C.) has put together a solid year in his first year in Flushing making 11 appearances, earning 10 starts with 55.0 innings pitched, allowing 68 hits, 34 earned runs, 24 walks, and has struck out 62 batters on the year.
  • Cassie has been named to the ECC Weekly Report Sheet twice this year.
• While the freshman duo of righties Michael Vilardi (Massapequa, N.Y.) and Peter Nenadich III (Bayside, N.Y.) have shown their talents as first-year student-athletes with both righties combining for 10 wins, and one save on the year, while combing for multiple ECC Pitcher and Rookie of the Week honors.
  • Nenadich III has pitched 53.0 innings allowing 60 hits, 32 earned runs, 26 walks, and has struck out 49 batters.
  • Vilardi has pitched 47.2 innings allowing 54 hits, 27 earned runs, 19 walks, and has struck out 37 batters, while Nenadich III
• Senior closer Danny Gargano (Middle Island, N.Y.) has made his mark and will be looking to close out his stellar Knights career on a strong note. On the season he has a 2-0 record with eight saves in 21.2 innings pitched, allowing 18 hits, seven earned runs, 10 walks, and has struck out 29 batters.

Scouting the Co-Regular Season Champions/#2 Molloy University Lions Preview (36-12 Overall Record, 18-6 ECC) | NCBWA - #14 | East Region #2

Series History (Since 2000): 24-64
Last Win: 5/5/24 (H, 5-4)
Last Loss: 5/4/24 (A, 2-8)

• Molloy enters the tournament with an overall record of 36-12, 18-6 in ECC play, and have been ranked as high as #12 in the nation and #1 in the East region in the NCBWA polls.
• It was a four-game regular season split with both sides defending their home turf.
• It will be the third straight year both sides are meeting in postseason play and sixth overall.
• Last season the Knights would capture their first title in 25 years and avenge the 2022 Championship game loss by defeating the Lions in a Saturday doubleheader Championship series to the final score of 11-7 and 9-8 in extra innings.
• Anthony Manisero leads the team with a batting average of .439 with 61 hits, 12 doubles, one triple, eight home runs, five walks, 42 runs scored, and 52 RBI.
• While Matt Yip is batting .380 with 60 hits, 10 doubles, two triples, 12 home runs, 44 walks, 59 runs scored, and 42 RBI.
• On the mound, Charlie Cucchiara leads the Lions with nine wins in 75.0 innings pitched allowing 67 hits, 24 earned runs, 17 walks, and has struck out 62 batters.

Scouting the Co-Regular Season Champions/#1 Seed D'Youville University Saints Preview (29-18, 18-6 ECC Record) Regionally Ranked #10 (NCBWA)

Series History (Since 2021): 8-4
Last Win: 10-8 (A, 4/6/24)
Last Loss: 6-9 (A, 4/7/24)

• D'Youville finished the regular season with an overall record of 29-18 and 18-6 in ECC play.
• The Saints are making their first-ever appearance in the ECC Tournament and have earned the Co-Regular Season Championship title and the #1 seed.
• D'Youville has received votes in the NCBWA East Region on multiple occasions and enter the tournament ranked #10.
• During the regular season the Saints earned the 3-1 series victory in Niagara Falls.
• Jon Simpson leads the way batting .287 with 48 hits, 13 doubles, two triples, 12 home runs, 20 walks, 37 runs scored, and 49 RBI.
• While Jeremy Glinski holds a batting average of .333 with 53 hits, 15 doubles, two triples, 10 home runs, 29 walks, 46 runs scored, and 42 RBI.
• On the mound, Chris Auclair leads the way with an ERA of 2.92 in 64.2 innings pitched allowing 69 hits, 21 earned runs, 22 walks, and has struck out 60 batters.

Scouting the #4 Seed St. Thomas Aquinas College Spartans Preview (23-25 Overall Record, 14-10 ECC)

Series History (Since 2000): 34-52
Last Win: 4/21/24 (H, 13-2)
Last Loss: 5/6/23 (A, 5-6)

• St. Thomas Aquinas College finished the regular season with an overall record of 23-25, 14-10 in ECC play and are making their 15^th appearance in 16 seasons.
• In the first seven weeks of the NCBWA East Region Poll, the Spartans were ranked as high as eighth.
• The Knights trail the overall series 34-52 but have found success in the last 10 games holding an 8-2 record.
• In last year's ECC Tournament the Knights earned a slug-fest 18-14 victory over the Spartans in game two. If both sides meet in this year's tournament, it will be the fourth straight years both sides have matched against each other with the postseason record tied at 2-2 with Queens winning the last two meetings.
• During the regular season the Knights swept the four-game season series over the Spartans.
• Joseph Scamardella leads the offense batting .275 with 47 hits, 10 doubles, one triple, six home runs, 27 walks, 34 runs scored, and 32 RBI.
• While Sean Lynch holds a team-high batting average of .323 with 52 hits, 14 doubles, one triple, five home runs, 15 walks, 29 runs scored, and 30 RBI.
• On the mound, Andrew Alameda leads the Spartans with five victories having pitched 61.1 innings allowing 67 hits, 37 earned runs, 24 walks, and has struck out 48 batters.

NCAA Baseball Selection Show

The 2024 NCAA Baseball Selection Show is set for Sunday, May 12. In the last NCAA East Region ranking the Knights are slotted eighth (new ranking comes out Wednesday, May 8) one spot out of the top seven. Seven teams make the East Regional Tournament with three coming with their respective Conference Automatic Bid and four teams getting an At-Large bid. If Queens successfully defend their 2023 crown, the Knights will earn the ECC Automatic bid to the 2024 Baseball Tournament.

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)