HICKORY, N.C. – The Queens University of Charlotte baseball team fell to 3-9 overall and 2-6 in South Atlantic Conference play following two losses on Sunday to Lenoir-Rhyne University by scores of 5-1 and 6-3 at Durham Field.
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: Lenoir-Rhyne 5, Queens 1 (Seven inn.)
The first game of the day featured a pitching duel between Queens' ace
Nick Charleson and the reigning SAC Pitcher of the Week in Lenoir-Rhyne's Andrew Patrick. The Bears got an unearned run in the first inning after which both sides were scoreless until the fourth.
In the fourth, Lenoir-Rhyen brough two runs across the plate before adding two more in the fifth on an RBI single from designated hitter EJ Ranel. Queens' lone run came in the as catcher
Julian Bailey doubled to left center and scored following two consecutive wild pitches.
Charleston (0-2) suffered the loss after giving up five runs (four earned) on six hits with two strikeouts in 4.1 innings of work. Patrick (2-0) earned the win, tossing his second complete game and allowing just one run on four hits with eight strikeouts.
Baily finished 2-for-3 at the plate with a double and a run scored, while
Drake Harris and
Zach Weston were the only other Royals to record a hit.
Game Two: Lenoir-Rhyne 6, Queens 3
The Bears got another quality start on the mound in the series finale as starter Josh Lanham allowed just one run on seven hits with a career-high 14 strikeouts in seven innings.
Queens put the pressure on in the first inning, loading the bases with two out but could not bring a runner in to score. The Royals had a runner in scoring position again in the second, but did not score the game's first run until the third inning when
Riley Cheek hit a lead off double and later scored when Harris put a ball in play to drive him home.
Wes Boling held the LR offense in check until the fifth inning when the Bears rallied for four runs on four hits and a Queens error to go ahead 4-1. Boling (1-1) was hit with the loss after allowing four runs (three earned) on five hits in 4.2 innings on the mound.
The Bears added insurance runs in both the sixth and seventh innings, including a solo home run by outfielder Drue Galassi, to run their advantage to 6-1 with two innings to play.
Carter Foster began the eighth reaching base via Lenoir-Rhyne error and later scored on a ground out by Weston with one out. Harris scored from third on a wild pitch with two out as the Royals looked to rally, but the comeback fell short as LR reliever Ben Friebel left a runner stranded on second for his second save of the weekend.
Cheek led the offense, going 3-for-5 with a double and a run scored as Harris and Weston each recorded an RBI in the contest where the Royals left a total of nine runners on base.
Queens remains at home next weekend when the team welcomes the Wolves of Newberry College to the Tuckaseegee Dream Field for a four-game conference series on March 6-7.
