DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. – Opening the final week of the regular season on Thursday afternoon, the Queens College baseball team traveled to Mercy Field for game one of a four-game East Coast Conference series against the Mercy University Mavericks.
Queens totaled 10 hits in the contest, led by the trio of sophomore
Tommy Pasqua (Williston Park, N.Y.), junior
Paul Fiene (Lake Ronkonkoma, N.Y.), and senior
Nick Piazza (Queens, N.Y.), who combined for six hits, one run scored, and four RBI.
The Knights struck first in the opening inning, taking a 2-0 lead. With one out, Queens loaded the bases on three straight walks before senior
Thomas McElwee (West Islip, N.Y.) lifted a sacrifice fly to right field to plate the game's first run. Fiene followed with an RBI single to right, doubling the early advantage.
Mercy answered in the bottom of the third, using four singles to trim the deficit to 2-1.
After scoreless fourth and fifth innings, Queens added to its lead in the sixth. Sophomore
Peter Bounougias (Plainview, N.Y.) reached after being hit by a pitch and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Later in the frame, Piazza lined an RBI single to left field to score Bounougias and extend the lead to 3-1.
The Mavericks responded with a five-run bottom of the sixth inning to move in front 6-3.
Queens threatened in the seventh after loading the bases, but Mercy worked out of the jam to preserve its lead.
The Knights mounted another push in the eighth. Senior
Connor Waiting (Seaford, N.Y.) opened the inning with a double down the right field line before Piazza followed with an RBI double to make it 6-4. After Piazza advanced to third on a groundout, Pasqua delivered an RBI single to right field to bring Queens within one run at 6-5. Mercy, however, recorded the final two outs of the inning to hold the lead.
Queens put the tying run aboard in the ninth, but the Mavericks closed out the contest for the 6-5 victory.
Next Pitch
Queens continues the ECC series against Mercy on Friday, May 1, with a Senior Day doubleheader beginning at noon. Prior to game one, the Knights will honor their five graduating seniors during the program's annual Senior Day ceremony.
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