WINGATE, N.C. – The Queens University of Charlotte baseball team picked up its first South Atlantic Conference win of the season on Sunday, splitting a doubleheader with No. 34 Wingate University at Ron Christopher Stadium. The Bulldogs took the opening game 6-5 in seven innings before the Royals rebounded with a ??? win the nightcap.
Game One: No. 34 Wingate 6, Queens 5 (Seven inn.)
The first game of the day, both sides were held in check early until Wingate scored the first run of the day in the third inning. Queens quickly responded with a run of its own in the top half of the fourth on a
Nick Brassington RBI single to tie the game.
In the sixth, Brassington gave Queens a 3-1 lead with a two-run home run to straight away center before an RBI double from
Carter Foster scored two to put the Royals ahead 5-1 in the seventh inning.
Wingate rallied for five runs in the bottom of the seventh to earn the win, including a three-run home run from McCann Mellett that tied the game at 5-all before a controversial call at the plate led to a game-winning run for the Bulldogs.
Starter
Nick Charleson did not factor in the decision after giving up five runs (four earned) on five hits with eight strikeouts in 6.2 innings of work. Reliever
Jordan Briones (0-2) suffered the loss, allowing one unearned run on one hit.
Brassington paced the offense going 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBI, while Foster was also 2-for-3 with a double, two RBI and a stolen base.
Mason Pickard went 1-for-2 with two runs scored.
Game Two: Queens 9, No. 34 Wingate 1
The Royals responded from the first game let down by scoring five runs across the first four innings of play in game two. Pickard hit a two-run home run in the first inning to get Queens on the board before the Royals got another run in the second when senior
Drake Harris drew a walk with the bases loaded.
Queens grew its lead to 5-0 in the fourth, taking advantage of a Wingate fielding error to score two unearned runs.
In the sixth inning, Cheek led off with a solo home run to left field before the Royals scratched across three more runs in the seventh inning to build a 9-0 advantage. Queens scored its first run of the seventh on another fielding error by the Bulldogs as Foster's RBI single brought home two more.
Wingate was able to get one run across in the bottom of the eighth before freshman
Luke Hutchinson worked a perfect ninth inning of relief with two strikeouts to put the game away.
Right-hander
Wes Boling (1-0) starred on the mound in his first start of the season, giving up just three hits with a career-high eight strikeouts in six innings to earn the win.
Alec Hunter tossed a scoreless inning of relief with two strikeouts of his own.
Foster was 2-for-3 with a run scored, two RBI and three walks, while Pickard was 2-for-6 with a home run, three runs scored and two RBI to go along with a stolen base. Cheek finished 1-for-4 with a home run, a run scored, one RBI and two walks.
Queens continues conference play next weekend when the Royals welcome Lenoir-Rhyne University to The Tuckaseegee Dream Fields for a four-game series beginning on Saturday, Feb. 27 at Noon on the Queens Sports Network.
