PINEVILLE, N.C. – The Queens University of Charlotte baseball team suffered its first home loss of the 2018 club season on Thursday night, falling 11-6 to the Lancers of USC Lancaster at Jack Hughes Park.
 
Queens got on the scoreboard first, scoring two runs in the opening inning. With runners on second and third, sophomore Dominic Ford hit a deep sacrifice fly that scored freshman Wes Boling from third. Junior CJ Hammonds took advantage of an errant throw by the Lancers to score from second on the play.
 
Each side was able to bring a run across in the second inning before the Lancers tied the game at 3-3 with a two-run third inning. Queens responded with three runs in the bottom half of the fourth to take a 6-3 lead in the game.
 
However, USC Lancaster scored eight runs across the sixth and seventh innings, taking advantage of four errors by the Royals to build a five-run lead. Neither team scored in the final two innings of play, giving the Lancers a road win.
 
Junior starting pitcher Jack Bergren did not factor in the decision after allowing six runs (five earned) on six hits with 11 strikeouts over 5.1 innings on the mound.
 
Freshman Wes Boling (0-2) suffered the loss after allowing five runs (three earned) on just four hits with three strikeouts in an inning of relief. Sophomores Lee Harrison and Bryant Baucom each tossed 1.1 innings of relief without allowing a hit.
 
Hammonds and freshman Noah Jones combined for all seven of the Royals hits in the contest. Jones finished a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate with a double and an RBI, while Hammonds was 3-for-4 with a run scored. Freshman Austin Campbell drew three walks at the plate and scored twice, as Boling registered two RBI of his own.
 
The Royals and Lancers meet again this weekend as the team's play in a doubleheader on Saturday, March 24 in Lancaster, S.C. The first game is scheduled for a 3 p.m. start.