FIRST PITCH
Score: Queens 7 | Kennesaw State 6
Records: Queens (7-30 overall, 3-14 ASUN) | Kennesaw State (18-19 overall, 8-9 ASUN)
Location: Charlotte, N.C. (The Stick)
 
The Short Story: The Queens University of Charlotte baseball team used an explosive five-run eighth inning to storm past the visiting Kennesaw State Owls in game two of the weekend series.

HOW IT HAPPENED

-The Royals would strike first with a pair of runs on three hits in the bottom of the first inning. Riley Cheek would lace a one-out single up the middle before Connor Manco roped a double down the right field line putting a pair of Royals in scoring position. JJ Sousa would follow it up with a two-run double on the very next pitch.

-Kennesaw State would crack the scoring column in the top of the fifth inning with three runs on five hits. Hudson Mimbs opened the frame with a home run to left field. Wade Richardson would follow it with an infield single before Nick Colina belted a two-run shot to right field giving the Owls a 3-2 lead.

-The Owls would add an insurance run in the top of the eighth inning as Jackson Chirello roped an RBI double to left field extending their lead to 4-2.

-Queens would answer in the bottom of the eighth with an explosive five-run inning which included three hits and three Owls errors. Connor Manco led off the inning reaching on an error before advancing to second on a wild pitch. JJ Sousa worked a walk before Nick Alderfer dropped his second sacrifice bunt of the afternoon to advance both runners. Christian Maggio would reach on a throwing error by the Owls third baseman, but no base runners advanced. With bases loaded, Dillon Lewis ripped a pinch-hit single through the left side bringing around a pair of Royals to tie the game. Andrew McDermott would follow it up with a single into left field which rolled under the defender's glove and to the wall. Maggio, Lewis, and McDermott would all score on the play as the Royals extended their lead to 7-4.

-Kennesaw State would not back down plating a pair of runs on two hits in the ninth before Joey Rodriguez came on in relief to close the door.

BY THE NUMBERS
-Connor Manco led the offense with a 2-for-3 evening while scoring two runs. The junior has turned in multi-hit performances in six games this season.

-JD Coleman, Riley Cheek, JJ Sousa, and Nick Melton notched a hit on the night. For Cheek, the senior extended his hitting streak to 11 consecutive games.

-Dillon Lewis and Andrew McDermott put together a gutsy pinch hit at-bats to spark the scoring outburst in the eighth inning.

-Senior Jeffery Maidhof put together an incredible start for the Royals tossing 6.0 innings while surrendering three earned runs and striking out three. The lengthy outing marked Maidhof's second consecutive start going 6.0 innings, and his fourth of the season.

-Isaiah Bennett was in a groove out of the bullpen hurling 1.2 innings and striking out an Owl to keep the Royals in the game.

-The five-run eighth inning was the Royals third highest scoring total in a single inning this season.

-The Royals played mistake-free baseball for the seventh time this season as they committed no errors defensively.

-The victory snapped an eight-game losing skid for the Royals as they defeated the reigning ASUN Tournament Champions.

NEXT UP
The Royals and Owls will wrap up their weekend series on Sunday, April 23^rd at The Stick. The first pitch is set for 1:00 p.m. and fans can tune into the action via live stats on the audio broadcast by visiting the Queens Athletics website.

 
SOCIAL MEDIA
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