KODAK, TENN. - The Queens University of Charlotte baseball team (29-21, 17-8 SAC) opened the 2022 South Atlantic Conference Championships falling to No. 26 Lenoir-Rhyne University (41-10, 18-8 SAC), 8-0. In their first ever postseason appearance in the program's young history, the Royals struggled at the plate totaling only three hits and striking out 14 times against First Team All-Conference selection Josh Lanham from Lenoir-Rhyne.
 
Mason Pickard and Garrett Evans each had doubles on the day for the Royals. Pickard managed to extend his hitting streak to nine straight games while Evans notched his 12^th extra base hit this season. First Team All-Conference outfielder Nick Brassington also had a hit on the day for the Royals extending his hitting streak to nine games also. Tanner Jacobson (5-3) would pick up the start for the Royals and throw five innings striking out eight. The junior was nearly flawless through the first five innings surrendering four hits and fanning eight batters.
 
The No. 26 Bears would add the first run of the game, with an RBI-double to take a 1-0 lead. However, that would be the only run either team would score until the sixth inning as both starting pitchers were locked in. Through the first five frames, both offenses had combined for just six hits.
 
The turning point of the game was the top of the sixth when the Bears offense exploded, scoring six runs taking a commanding 7-0 lead. To start off the inning, the Bears would hit four consecutive singles pushing across the first two runs of the inning.
 
After batter's interference recorded the first out of the inning, a bunt single down the first baseline scored another run for the Bears. On consecutive at-bats, a double and a sacrifice fly scored two more for the Bears as their bats remained hot. A wild pitch would score the sixth and final run of the inning for the Bears, before a pop-out finally ended the inning.
 
Looking to answer, a leadoff double by Garrett Evans would put a runner in scoring position for the Royals in the sixth. A groundout to third, a strikeout and a groundout to second would end just the second scoring threat of the evening for Queens. The next two innings saw just two combined hits from both teams, as the Royals trailed 7-0 heading into the final frame.
 
The Bears would tack on a final insurance run in the ninth on a home run that snuck over the right-field fence, extending their lead to 8-0. An error by the Bears would put a runner on for the Royals in the ninth, but the Royals would otherwise be shut down in order, however, as they fall in round one to the Bears 8-0.
 
The Royals will have a quick turnaround as they return to action tomorrow, April 30 against No. 1 Wingate University at 2:45 pm. The Royals must beat the Bulldogs tomorrow to stay alive in the tournament. The top team in the country managed to score three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning in the first game of the day to storm from behind defeating Carson-Newman 5-4.
 
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