FLORENCE, S.C. - The Queens University of Charlotte baseball team (19-14, 11-4 SAC) remained hot Wednesday night defeating Francis Marion University (17-12, 7-8 CC) by a final score of 12-2 in Florence, S.C. With the win, the Royals match their longest winning streak of the season at four games as they avenged a loss to the Patriots earlier in the season.
 
The Royals bats remained on fire as they followed up their 17-hit performance Tuesday night with a 19-hit performance tonight. The offensive explosion is the fifth time this season that Queens has rattled 15 or more hits in a game as they are ranked No. 12 in the nation in total hits. Riley Cheek, Nick Melton, Tanner Jacobson, Carter Foster, Dillon Lewis, and Nick Brassington all lodged multiple hits on the day. Cheek would go a perfect 5-for-5 on the day which sets a new program record for hits in a game. As a team, the Royals also logged six doubles on the day.
 
Kei Yamagishi (1-2) picked up the win on the mound for the Royals following his best outing of the season. The sophomore tossed six innings allowing just one earned run with three strikeouts. Jordan Briones closed the door on the Patriots out of the bullpen throwing two scoreless innings with three strikeouts.
 
Like last night, the Royals would put up four early runs in the first inning. Riley Cheek led off the game with a first pitch double. Two batters later, Nick Brassington would slap a double into left field plating the first run of the day for the Royals. With two outs, Garrett Evans would drop a single into right field, scoring another run for the Royals. A walk and a wild pitch would put runners on second and third before a Tanner Jacobson single scored two more runs for the Royals in the first inning, giving them a 4-0 early lead. The Patriots would respond with a run of their own on an RBI single, to make it 4-1 heading into the second.
 
In the second, the Royals would add a run back as three consecutive hits to begin the inning loaded the bases for the Royals with nobody out. Two batters later, an infield single by Dillon Lewis plated one run for the Royals. A lineout to the shortstop and a flyout to centerfield would end the threat for the Royals, however.
 
Queens would continue to add on in the third, scoring three runs to take a commanding 8-1 lead. After Nick Melton reached on an error and two consecutive walks, the bases were loaded for the Royals. Nick Brassington would follow that up with a single into left field, scoring two runners before Dillon Lewis doubled down the left field line scoring another Royal.
 
The scoring for both clubs would settle down, as the score remained locked at 8-1 heading into the seventh. In the seventh, a sacrifice fly by the Patriots following a lead-off triple scratched across their second and final run of the ballgame.
The Royals would add four key insurance runs in the ninth. With runners on second and third with nobody out, Nick Melton slapped a double into left field scoring both runners, as Melton would be thrown out going for third. After a single, a hit-by-pitch and wild pitch put runners on second and third again, a single by Dillon Lewis plated another run for the Royals. Garrett Evans would score the fourth run on a wild pitch. The Royals managed to put the Patriots down in order in the ninth, as they cruised to their fourth straight victory by a score of 12-2.
 
The Royals return to action this weekend with a three-game weekend series against South Atlantic Conference opponent Coker University in Hartsville, S.C. The first pitch for Friday's matchup is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. as the Royals look to maintain their spot in the top four of the league standings. Fans are encouraged to follow the baseball program on Twitter and Instagram. Be sure to follow Queens Athletics on social media @QueensAthletics, to stay up to date with all of Royals' Athletics.