HICKORY, N.C. – The Queens University of Charlotte baseball team returned to South Atlantic Conference play on Saturday afternoon, splitting a doubleheader with Lenoir-Rhyne University. The Royals won game one, 2-0, before falling 6-4 in the night cap.
 
Due to the threat of inclement weather in Charlotte, the four-game series is being played on the Bears' home field in Hickory, N.C. with Queens serving as the designated home team.
 
Game One: Queens 2, Lenoir-Rhyne 0 (Seven inn.)
 
The Royals earned their first shutout since the 2019 season in the first game of the day as the contest's only runs of the game came in the first inning of play. Mason Pickard reached on an LR fielding error before Nick Melton hit a ball over the fence in left field to put Queens ahead 2-0.
 
Starting pitcher Tanner Jacobson shut down the Lenoir-Rhyne offense despite allowing six walks as he left six runners on base over the course of five innings. Jacobson (1-1) earned the win after allowing just one hit with four strikeouts.
 
Freshman Luke Hutchinson pitched a perfect sixth inning, while ace Nick Charleson earned his first save of the season by striking out two of the three batters he faced in the top of the seventh inning.
 
Melton finished 1-for-3 with a home run and two RBI, and Julian Bailey collected the Royals' only other hit of the contest.
 
Game Two: Lenoir-Rhyne 6, Queens 4
 
In the second game of the day, Lenoir-Rhyne scored two runs in the top of the ninth to steal a win an avoid the sweep.
 
Lenoir-Rhyne's Nick Clarno opened the scoring with a two-run home run in the first inning before Anthony Orta got Queens on the scoreboard with an RBI in the home half of the second.
 
In the third, the Bears got two RBI singles two push the lead to 4-1 until Drake Harris hit an RBI single of his own with the bases loaded in the fifth to score two runs and cut the deficit to one. Melton followed with a bunt down the third base line that scored Mason Pickard on a squeeze play to even the score at 4-all.
 
Lenoir-Rhyne twice had runners in scoring position in the sixth and seventh innings before breaking through with two runs in the ninth. Drue Galassi drove in the go-ahead run with a one-out single as the Bears tacked on an insurance run with two outs. Queens got a runner in scoring position in the bottom half, but was unable to convert the opportunity.
 
Starter Zach Kelly did not factor in the decision after allowing four runs on eight hits with three strikeouts across 4.2 innings. Relievers Jordan Briones and Alex Hunter combined for two scoreless innings out of the bullpen, while Chris Ragosta (0-2) suffered the loss, giving up two runs (one earned) on two hits with two strikeouts in 1.2 innings on the mound. Caleb Staley pitched the final 2/3 of an inning without giving up a run.
 
Harris was 1-for-2 at the plate with two RBI and two stolen bases, while Dominic Ford was 1-for-4 with a double.
 
The Bears and Royals conclude the four-game series tomorrow afternoon at Durham Field. Game one is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.