POMONA, N.Y – Opening their final East Coast Conference series of the year, the Queens College baseball team made the trip to Pomona as they matched up against St. Thomas Aquinas College Spartans at Clover Stadium Thursday afternoon.
The Knights offense was led by junior designated hitter
Yoskar Guzman (Richmond Hill, N.Y.) (3-4 AB) three-hit performances, while senior center fielder
Nick O'Connor (Wantagh, N.Y.) (1-5 AB, HR, RBI, R), sophomore right fielder
Michael Vilardi (Massapequa, N.Y.) (1-5 AB), senior second baseman
Robert Jacobsen (Temecula, Calif.) (1-4 AB, R, BB), senior first baseman
Matt Filip (Maspeth, N.Y.) (1-3 AB, 3B, RBI, R, BB), senior left fielder
Penn Sealey (Raleigh, N.C.) (1-3 AB, 2B, RBI, R), rookie third baseman
Peter Bounougias (Plainview, N.Y.) (1-4 AB) and rookie catcher
Jake Levesque (Pinellas Park, Fla.) (1-4 AB, RBI, BB) as they combined for 10 hits, four RBI.
But as the Knights rallied to tie the game at 4-4, the Spartans would score winning in the bottom of the eighth to take game one of the series to the final score of 5-4.
GAME ONE RECAP (QUEENS 4, STAC 5)
The Knights got off to a quick start as O'Connor returning to where his collegiate baseball career started laced the first pitch he saw for a solo shot to right center for his first home run of the year to put Queens up 1-0.
But the Spartans responded with two runs in the home half of the first using three straight hits before a throwing error led to the home side taking a 2-1 lead.
Queens would tie the game in the top of the fourth as with one out, Sealey laced a double down the left field before Bounougias advanced the senior to third base. With Sealey in scoring position, Levesque would tie the game at 2-2 with a RBI single to center field. With two outs, Guzman laced a single to center field before Levesque and Guzman advanced to second and third base on a passed ball as Queens looked to reclaim the lead. But the Spartans would get the final out of the inning to keep the game tied at 2-2.
The Spartans took a 4-2 lead after the completion of the fifth inning using two solo shots.
Trailing 4-2, the Knights rallied in the top of the seventh as with one out, Jacobsen battled for an eight-pitch walk before the senior advanced to third base on back-to-back wild pitches. With a runner in scoring position, Filip would get the Knights closer with a RBI triple to center field as Jacobsen scored. Queens tied the game at 4-4 as Sealey brought home Filip with a sac fly out to center field.
That would be the closest the Knights would get within a victory as the Spartans scored in the winning run on a bases-loaded wild pitch in the bottom of the eighth to take game one of the series to the final score of 5-4.
NEXT PITCH
With postseason hopes on the line, the Knights welcome the Spartans to Hennekens Stadium on Friday, May 2 for an ECC doubleheader. The first pitch is set for noon.
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