FLUSHING, N.Y. – Returning to East Coast Conference play Friday afternoon, the Queens College baseball team opened a four-game series against the Molloy University Lions at Hennekens Stadium.
In the series opener, the Knights' offense was paced by senior right fielder
Vincent Mallon (Massapequa, N.Y.), rookie center fielder
John Harkins (Babylon, N.Y.), rookie third baseman
Justin Chong (Queens Village, N.Y.), rookie shortstop
Joshua Angely (Upland, CA) and junior left fielder
Michael Vilardi (Massapequa, N.Y.), as the group combined for five hits, four RBI, and five runs scored.
Queens struck early after junior right-hander
Peter Nenadich III (Bayside, N.Y.) retired the Lions in order to begin the game. In the home half of the first, Mallon reached second on a fielding error before Harkins worked a walk and Mallon swiped third. Chong followed with an RBI single to bring home Mallon, and after stealing second, Angely added an RBI groundout to make it 2-0. A wild pitch moved Chong to third, and Vilardi capped the inning with a sacrifice fly to center, giving the Knights a 3-0 lead.
Molloy responded in the top of the third, plating five runs to take a 5-3 advantage, and added another run in the fifth to extend the lead to 6-3.
The Knights broke through again in the sixth when Mallon launched a leadoff solo home run to right field to cut the deficit to 6-4. After Molloy recorded the first out, Queens loaded the bases on a Chong reach via error, an Angely single, and a Vilardi walk.
Junior catcher
Thomas McElwee (West Islip, N.Y.) then drew a bases-loaded walk to bring the Knights within one, 6-5. However, the Lions escaped further damage by retiring the next two batters.
Molloy pulled away late, adding insurance runs in the seventh and eighth innings to secure a 10-5 victory.
Next Pitch
The Knights continue the series on Saturday, March 28, with a doubleheader at Mitchel Field in Uniondale. First pitch is scheduled for noon.
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