STROUDSBURG, PA. – Opening the week in non-conference play, the Queens College baseball team traveled to Stroudsburg, Pa. to take on RV East Stroudsburg University at Creekview Park.
The Knights totaled five hits on the afternoon, highlighted by multi-RBI performances from rookie center fielder
John Harkins (Babylon, N.Y.) and junior left fielder
Michael Vilardi (Massapequa, N.Y.). Harkins went 1-for-4 at the plate with a two-run home run and a run scored, while Vilardi finished 1-for-3 with a walk and two RBI. Senior right fielder
Vincent Mallon (Massapequa, N.Y.) and sophomore second baseman
Tommy Pasqua (Williston Park, N.Y.) combined for three hits, one walk, and three runs scored.
After two scoreless innings, Queens struck first in the top of the third. Mallon ripped a one-out triple to right field before Harkins followed with a two-run home run down the left field line to give the Knights a 2-0 lead.
Sophomore righty
Matt Rosenberg (North Massapequa, N.Y.), making his first career start, kept the Warriors off the scoreboard through the first three innings before East Stroudsburg got on the board in the bottom of the fourth.
Queens answered right back in the fifth, capitalizing on a defensive miscue. Pasqua led off with a single to center before Mallon reached on an error. Harkins moved both runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt, and rookie third baseman
Justin Chong (Queens Village, N.Y.) drew a walk to load the bases. With two outs, Vilardi lined a two-run single to center to extend the Knights' lead to 4-1.
The Warriors responded with two runs in the fifth and one in the sixth to even the score at 4-4. Queens put runners on in both the seventh and eighth innings, but East Stroudsburg worked out of trouble each time to keep the game tied.
East Stroudsburg pushed across the go-ahead run in the bottom of the eighth inning and retired the Knights in order in the ninth to secure the 5-4 victory.
Next Pitch
Queens returns to East Coast Conference play to open a four-game series against Molloy University on Friday, March 27 at Hennekens Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.
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