FLUSHING, N.Y. – With a bye week from East Coast Conference play, the Queens College baseball team returned to non-conference play as they welcomed Pace University Setters to Hennekens Stadium to conclude the two-game series Wednesday afternoon.
The Knights offense outhit the Setters 9-5 as they were led by senior center fielder
Nick O'Conner (Wantagh, N.Y.) (3-4 AB, R, 2SB) seventh multi-hit game and first three-performance of the year and sophomore utility
Jordan Babbo (Merrick, N.Y.) (2-4 AB, 2B, R) fourth multi-hit game of the year. While graduate student left fielder
Penn Sealey (Raleigh, N.C.) (1-3 AB), sophomore right fielder
Michael Vilardi (Massapequa, N.Y.) (1-5 AB, 2B, 2RBI), senior first baseman
Matt Filip (Maspeth, N.Y.) (1-4 AB), and senior second baseman
Robert Jacobsen (Temecula, Calif.) (1-4 AB) combined for four hits with Vilardi recording his first multi-RBI game of the year.
With both sides pitching by committee, fielding errors would hurt the Knights as the Setters took advantage of two fielding errors in the top of the ninth to score the winning run of the game and defeat Queens to the final score of 4-3.
GAME RECAP
Through the first four innings of play, senior righty
Nick Kozerski (Hicksville, N.Y.) (4.0 IP, H, 4K), would allow just two base runners with both of them coming in the top of the second behind a one-out single and a hit by pitch. But with the Hicksville native in a groove, he would go on to retire seven straight batters to complete his outing with four scoreless innings in his first start of the year.
The Setters would not be far behind as they restricted the Knights to three hits in the first four innings of play.
After four scoreless of play, the tempo of the game would shift over the final five innings of play.
With Kozerski's outing complete, the Knights would turn to red-shirt sophomore
Reynaldo Angeles (Corona, N.Y.) out of the bullpen and the Corona native would work a clean inning retiring three straight batters.
Babbo back in the starting lineup would tally a double through the left side before rookie third baseman
Tommy Pasqua (Williston Park, N.Y.) advanced Babbo to third base on a sac bunt but a fielding error by the Setter's pitcher would allow Pasqua to reach first base safely.
The Knights would load the bases as rookie catcher
Jake Levesque (Pinellas Park, Fla.) earned a five-pitch walk as the Knights threatened to break the open game. As Babbo scored a wild pitch to give the Knights an early lead, the Setters would work out of trouble and keep the scoreline at 1-0.
The Setters wasted little time in tying the game as they took advantage of a fielding error in the top of the sixth to tie the game at 1-1.
With the game tied 1-1, Filip and Jacobsen opened the home frame of the sixth with back-to-back singles. But once again the Setters defense worked out of trouble to keep the game tied at 1-1.
The Setters looked to respond in the top of the seventh but the Knights would avoid damage with O'Conner making a diving catch for the final out of the inning.
Looking to use the momentum, junior shortstop
Nick Piazza (Queens, N.Y.) earned a four-pitch walk before a single from O'Conner through the right side saw Queens have two runners on and no outs. The Setters got the first out on a bunt play as Queens looked to advance both runners into scoring position, however, Piazza and O'Conner would execute a double steal as the Knights evaded the double play. Vilardi kept his at-bat live for seven pitches before he blasted a two-RBI double to left field that just missed going for a home run but the Massapequa native had put the Knights up 3-1 scoring Piazza and O'Conner. However, the Setters would strand Vilardi at second base to end the bottom of the seventh.
However fielding errors would come back to haunt the Knights as with two out in the top of the eighth, the Setters would capitalize to tie the game at 3-3 before another two-out fielding error saw Pace take a 4-3 lead in the top of the ninth.
Needing to rally, the Setters would take advantage of two calls and work out of O'Conner's one-out single to defeat the Knights to the score of 4-3 and earn the two-game series victory.
NEXT PITCH
The non-conference homestand continues on Friday, Apr. 4 as they welcome Dominican University (N.Y.) Chargers to Hennekens Stadium. The first pitch is set for 3:00 p.m.
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