FLUSHING, N.Y. – Hosting their first home doubleheader of the season, the Queens College baseball team welcomed the Mercy University Mavericks for an East Coast Conference Saturday afternoon twin bill at Hennekens Stadium.
In game one, the Knights erased an early 5-0 deficit to tie the contest at 5-5, but the Mavericks erupted for 12 runs across the fifth and sixth innings to pull away for a 19-7 victory. In the nightcap, senior right-hander
Christopher Naronis (Floral Park, N.Y.) tossed his second straight complete game of the season, but Queens' late comeback bid fell short in a 3-2 loss.
With the results, the Knights move to 1-3 in ECC play.
Game One Recap: Queens 7, Mercy 19
Queens totaled 13 hits in the opener, with four Knights combining to drive in seven runs. Rookie second baseman
Joshua Angely (Upland, CA) corded his first career multi-hit performance, going 3-for-4 with a double, a home run, two RBI, and a run scored. Junior right fielder
Michael Vilardi (Massapequa, N.Y.) finished 1-for-4 with a home run, a team-high three RBI, and one run scored.
Senior designated hitter
Connor Waiting (Seaford, N.Y.) went 1-for-4 with a walk, a RBI, and a run scored, while junior
Jordan Babbo (Merrick, N.Y.) added a pinch-hit home run.
Trailing 5-0 entering the bottom of the third, the Knights began their comeback attempt when sophomore first baseman
Peter Bounougias (Plainview, N.Y.) singled to right field before rookie third baseman
Justin Chong (Queens Village, N.Y.) doubled to center to put two runners in scoring position. Waiting drove in the first run with an RBI single up the middle, and Vilardi followed with his first career home run, a three-run blast to left-center, cutting the deficit to 5-4.
Queens tied the game in the fourth when Angely launched his first career home run over center field to make it 5-5.
Mercy responded with six hits in the fifth inning to reclaim the lead at 9-5, then added eight more runs in the sixth to extend the advantage.
Angely added an RBI double in the seventh, and Babbo connected for his first career home run later in the game, but the Knights would fall 19-7.
Game Two Recap: Queens: 2, Mercy 3
Queens recorded six hits in the nightcap, led by the rookie duo of Chong and Angely, who each produced multi-hit performances. Chong went 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored, while Angely finished 2-for-3 with a double. Vilardi added a hit and scored a run, and sophomore left fielder
Henry Tolentino (Bronx, N.Y.) contributed a double and a walk.
On the mound, Naronis delivered a complete-game effort, allowing six hits and three runs (two earned) while striking out a career-high eight batters and walking one.
Mercy struck first for the second straight game, scoring twice in the top of the first inning on two hits to take a 2-0 lead. Queens threatened in the bottom half by loading the bases, but the Mavericks escaped the inning without allowing a run.
Naronis settled in quickly, striking out the side in both the second and third innings as part of a dominant stretch on the mound.
The Knights got on the board in the third when Chong doubled to right-center, stole third, and scored on a wild pitch to cut the deficit to 2-1.
Mercy added what proved to be the deciding run in the fourth inning, capitalizing on a fielding error to take a 3-1 lead.
Queens answered in the bottom half as Vilardi and Tolentino recorded back-to-back hits to put runners in scoring position. Senior shortstop
Nick Piazza (Queens, N.Y.) brought home Vilardi on an RBI fielder's choice to make it 3-2, but a double play ended the rally.
Over the final three innings, Naronis and the Queens defense kept Mercy off the scoreboard, turning double plays in both the sixth and seventh innings.
However, the Knights stranded the tying run in scoring position in both the fifth and seventh, as the comeback attempt fell just short.
Next Pitch
Queens remains at home and returns to action on Friday, March 20, when they host the College of Staten Island Dolphins in ECC play. First pitch is scheduled for noon.
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