KANNAPOLIS, N.C. – The Queens University of Charlotte baseball team made its NCAA Division II debut on Friday evening, hosting Erskine College in a doubleheader at Intimidators Stadium. The Royals were swept by scores of 17-3 and 7-3 by the Flying Fleet.
 
The Fleet (2-0) collected 26 total hits across the two games, including nine of the extra base variety. The Royals (0-2) pitching staff was able to tally 13 strikeouts while surrendering just four walks.
 
Game One: Erskine 17, Queens 3 (Seven inn.)
 
Erskine opened the scoring with an RBI double in the first inning of play before erupting for seven runs in the third inning to build an 8-0 advantage. The Flying Fleet score three more times in the fourth inning before the Royals offense came alive.
 
Queens loaded the bases with two outs before freshman Alex Sexton drew a walk to bring a run across the plate. Following the free pass, redshirt-sophomore Dominic Ford laced a single up the middle to drive in two more runs and cut into the Erskine lead.
 
However, Erskine totaled six runs in the sixth and seventh innings to make the score 17-3. Queens put runners on the corners in the bottom half of the seventh and threatened to rally until a swinging strikeout brought the game to an end.
 
Ford finished the contest 2-for-4 with two RBI and a stolen base, while freshmen Jaret Lazich and Nick Melton recorded the only other hits for Queens.
 
Game Two: Erskine 7, Queens 2 (Seven inn.)
 
The second game of the day saw the Flying Fleet keep its momentum going, taking advantage of two Queens fielding errors to score three unearned runs in the opening inning of play.
 
Redshirt-freshman Noah Jones led off the home half of the second inning with a double and later scored on a two-out, RBI single from redshirt-junior CJ Hammonds.
 
Two runs in the fifth and another in the sixth moved the Erskine lead to a 6-1 margin before Melton hit the first pitch the saw in the bottom of the sixth over the left field fence to add another run to the Queens total. The Fleet scored its final run of the game in the seventh before shutting the Royals down to end the game.
 
Jones was 2-for-3 at the plate with a double and a run scored, as Hammonds, Melton and redshirt-junior Chase Hager each finished 1-for-3 on offense.
 
Redshirt-junior Jack Bergren (0-1) suffered the loss after allowing six runs (two earned) over 5.1 innings with four strikeouts. Freshman Daniel Bagwell tossed the final 1.2 innings on the mound and allowed just two runs (one earned) on three hits with two strikeouts.
 
Queens and Erskine square off in another doubleheader tomorrow at Intimidators Stadium with first pitch of game on scheduled for Noon.