LYNDHURST, N.J. – Concluding their three-game series against Felician University Golden Falcons, the Queens College baseball team made the trip to Breslin Field in Lyndhurst, N.J. for a Sunday afternoon doubleheader.
The Knights combined for 26 hits to score 21 runs over the doubleheader including a season-best 18 runs in the nightcap to earn a doubleheader split as Queens fell in a tough 7-5 final in game one before breaking out the bats in the nightcap to tally a season-best 16 runs to go with sophomore utility
Michael Vilardi (Massapequa, N.Y.) firing a complete game victory to lead the Knights to a 16-2 victory.
GAME ONE RECAP
The Knights recorded eight hits in game one led by multi-hit performances from Vilardi
(2-4 AB, 2B, R, BB) and senior second baseman
Robert Jacobsen (Temecula, Calif.) (2-3 AB, RBI, R) combining for four hits, one RBI and two runs scored. While senior first baseman
Matt Filip (Maspeth, N.Y.) (1-5 AB), senior left fielder
Leo Alvarez (Oceanside, N.Y.) (1-3 AB, 2R, BB), rookie catcher
Jake Levesque (Pinellas Park, Fla.) (1-4 AB, RBI) and rookie third baseman
Matteo Tufano (Franklin Square, N.Y.) (1-2 AB, RBI) combined for four hits, two RBI and two runs scored.
The Golden Falcons took an early lead behind a lead-off single before a sac fly scored the first run of the game.
Queens would quickly respond as Jacobsen singled before Alvarez and rookie third baseman
Tommy Pasqua (Williston Park, N.Y.) drew back-to-back walks to load the bases. With no outs, Levesque would tie the game 1-1 with an infield RBI single as Jacobsen scored before junior shortstop
Nick Piazza (Queens, N.Y.) put Queens up 2-1 with a sac fly out to center field.
However, the Golden Falcons' defense would work out of trouble and leave the bases loaded to keep the Knights' advantage at 2-1.
Once again the Golden Falcons responded using a hit by pitch to their advantage before tying the game 2-2 behind a RBI double down the right field line.
The home side would reclaim the lead in the bottom of the third using three hits to take a 5-2 lead.
Queens responded in the next frame behind Pasqua's walk before taking advantage of a fielder's choice play to score to get within two, 5-3.
In the top of the sixth, the Knights would get within one run, 5-4 as Alvarez led off the inning with a single to left field before Pasqua's sac bunt moved the senior into scoring position.
As the Golden Falcons got the second out, Tufano who entered the game in the bottom of the fourth would record a RBI single to center field to score Alvarez.
As the Knights' defense left two Golden Falcons runners stranded in the bottom of the sixth, Queens tied the game in the top of the seventh.
Vilardi led off the frame with a double down the left field before the Golden Falcons got the first out. Filip would advance Vilardi with an infield single as Queens put runners on the corners. With the tying run 90 feet away, Jacobsen would deliver with a RBI sac bunt to score Vilardi as Queens tied the game 5-5.
But the home side would use a lead-off single and walk to their advantage to reclaim a 7-5 lead before they held the Knights offense at bay to defeat Queens to the final score of 7-5.
GAME TWO RECAP
Looking to salvage a 2-2 week, the Knights offense recorded a season-best 18 hits for 16 runs with five Knights recording multi-hit games led by Filip's
(4-5 AB, 2 2B, 3RBI, 3R) second four-hit performance of the year, the duo of Vilardi
(3-4 AB, 2B, BB, 3R), and rookie center field
Matthew Jackson (Brooklyn, N.Y.) (3-4 AB, 2B, RBI, BB, 2R) recording a three-hits game and the senior duo of Jacobsen
(2-2 AB,2B, 2RBI, BB, 2R), and right fielder
Penn Sealey (Raleigh, N.C.) (2-5 AB, 2R) tacking in two-hit performances.
While Alvarez
(1-4 AB, RBI, BB, R), Pasqua
(1-2 AB, 2RBI, 2R), pinch hitter junior
Yoskar Guzman (Richmond Hill, N.Y.) (1-1 AB, 2RBI, R), and Piazza
(1-4 AB, RBI, BB) combined for four hits, six RBI, and four runs scored as a total of seven Knights combined for 12 RBIs in the nightcap.
On the mound, Vilardi
(W, 1-0 7.0IP, 7H, 2ER, BB, 4K) would be a one-man show for the Knights as he pitched a complete game victory using 98 pitches to earn his first victory of the year.
The Knights wasted little time in scoring as Jacobsen opened the game with a double before a RBI single out to right field from Alvarez put Queens up 1-0.
The Golden Falcons used a two-run shot to take a 2-1 lead in the bottom frame.
Vilardi would help his own cause as he opened the frame with a single out to left field before the Golden Falcons got back-to-back outs and looked to be getting out of the inning unscathed.
But as Jackson extended the inning with a single to advance Vilardi to third, a RBI single to right field from Piazza would tie the game at 2-2 but the Golden Falcons would keep the damage at one run as they stranded three Knights on base to end the top of the second.
Both sides would leave a combined six runners on base over the next two and a half innings of play.
With Vilardi in rhythm, the sophomore would strand four Golden Falcons on base to keep a 2-2 game heading into the top of the fifth inning.
The Knights would come alive in the fifth with five hits to take a 7-2 lead. As Sealey opened the frame with a single to right field before advancing to second on a passed ball, Filip would lace a RBI double down the left field line to put Queens up 3-2.
Vilardi extended the frame with a double before rookie third baseman
Peter Bounougias (Plainview, N.Y.) drew a walk to load the bases. With no outs, and bases juiced the Knights turned to pinch hitter Guzman for a key hit. The Richmond Hill native would deliver with a two-RBI single down the left field line as Queens extended their lead to 5-2.
A RBI double from Jackson and a sac fly RBI from Jacobsen would put Queens in a commanding lead of 7-2 after the completion of the top of the fifth.
For the fourth straight inning of play the Massapequa native would leave a Golden Falcons runner stranded on base and keep the 7-2 lead intact.
Queens extended their advantage to 8-2 behind a Pasqua RBI fielder's choice out in the top of the sixth before Vilardi retired the Golden Falcons in order in the bottom of the sixth.
The Knights would put the game out of reach in the top of the seventh with a season-best eight-run inning on five hits and two fielding errors from the home side.
The biggest hit of the inning would come from Filip as the senior recorded a record-tying two RBI single out to left field to complete his second career four-hit performance resulting in the Maspeth native tying the RBI program record of 129 held by former teammate
Louis Antos (2017-2022).
As Queens put the game out of reach with a 16-2 lead, Vilardi would complete his second career complete game outing as he retired the Golden Falcons in order for the second straight inning to earn his first victory of the year and Queens' seventh of the year.
NEXT PITCH
With East Coast Conference play around the corner, the Knights will open the week in Pleasantville, N.Y. on Wednesday, Mar. 26 in non-conference play as they match up against regionally-ranked Pace University Setters. The first pitch is set for 3:00 p.m.
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