FIRST PITCH
Score: Fairleigh Dickinson 7 | Queens 6
Records: Fairleigh Dickinson (3-4 overall, 0-0 NEC) | Queens (2-5 overall, 0-0 ASUN)
Location: Tuckaseegee Fields (Charlotte, N.C.)
 
The Short Story: The Queens University of Charlotte baseball team plated four runs in the bottom of the ninth inning, but fell to Fairleigh Dickinson on Sunday afternoon.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
-Both teams went scoreless for the first two innings of the game. Fairleigh Dickinson would strike first in the top of the third inning as they brought in four runs on three hits.
-The Royals would cut into the deficit in the bottom of the fifth inning as Christian Maggio doubled to right center to send home Dillion Lewis and Riley Cheek.
-The Knights would plate another run in the top of the seventh following a solo home run to right center.
-Fairleigh Dickinson would increase their lead to 6-2 with another solo home run in the eighth inning.
-The visiting Knights would add one final insurance run in the ninth inning with a solo home run.
-Queens would show their resiliency in the bottom of the ninth as they plated four runs on three hits. A leadoff single from Nick Brassington would be followed up by a Dillon Lewis hit by pitch to get the rally started. Christian Maggio would advance both runners up with a groundout to second base. Newcomer JD Coleman would lace a single up the middle bringing around Brassington for the first run of the inning. Senior Nick Melton roped a double into right-center bringing around Lewis and cutting the deficit to 7-4. JJ Sousa would bring home Coleman and advance Melton with a groundout to shortstop before a wild pitch brought Melton in. With two outs, the Knights would issue back-to-back walks before a pitching change. Senior Riley Cheek stepped in and flew out to the Knights left fielder as FDU managed to escape the comeback effort.

BY THE NUMBERS
-Queens roped 12 hits on the afternoon marking the third straight game that the offense tallied 10+ hits.
-Veterans Christian Maggio, Nick Brassington, and Nick Melton notched multi-hit performances.
-The Royals loaded the bases all afternoon as they stranded 14 runners on the base paths.
-Zach Kelly made his first start of the season on the hill for the Royals. The senior tossed 2.2 innings and surrendered four unearned runs while fanning four Knights.
-Daniel Bagwell, Brandon Dahlman, and Justin Offschanka combined to throw the final 6.1 innings while only allowing three solo home runs. The trio combined to strike out five batters.

NEXT UP
The Royals will head to Davidson, N.C. to face Davidson College in a midweek series on Tuesday, February 28^th. First pitch is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. 

SOCIAL MEDIA
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