FIRST PITCH
Score: Queens 11 | Niagara 3
Records: Queens (2-4 overall) | Niagara (4-2 overall)
Location: Charlotte, N.C. (Richard "Stick" Williams Dream Fields)
 
The Short Story: Behind timely offense from newcomers Jacob Grimes and Matthew Suppa, the Queens University of Charlotte baseball team clinched the weekend series against Niagara with a dominant 11-3 victory on Saturday afternoon.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
-Jake Barbour wasted no time putting the Royals on the board belting his first collegiate home run into the porch down the right field line to lead off the bottom of the first inning.
-Queens would extend their lead in the bottom of the fourth plating three runs on three hits and capitalizing on a Purple Eagles miscue. Jacob Grimes led the frame off with a double to left center before Will Budnick laced a single into center field. With runners on the corners, the Royals turned to small ball as Matthew Suppa dropped down a bunt single and advanced to third on a throwing error which brought home a pair. Tyler Peters would follow it up with a sacrifice bunt to bring home Suppa and cap off the scoring.
-The visitors would answer in the top of the fifth inning by capitalizing on free bases. A walk, hit by pitch, and another walk spelled the end of the day for starting pitcher Derek Westfall. Junior reliever Blake Efird entered and induced three straight ground balls to escape the jam without further damage.
-Queens regained the momentum quickly in the bottom of the fifth as Dillon Lewis opened the inning with an infield single before swiping second. The quick pressure set the tone for a two-run home run from veteran Zach Weston to the new porch in right field. Rookie Jacob Grimes would follow it up with a walk before stealing second base and third base and scoring on a throwing error by the Purple Eagles catcher.
-The Royals would put the game out of reach in the sixth inning plating four runs on three hits and capitalizing on a Niagara miscue. Jake Barbour led off the inning with a walk before stealing second, and advancing to third on a balk. JJ Sousa would be hit by a pitch before Dillon Lewis sent an opposite-field three-run home run to the porch in right field. Queens continued to apply pressure with a walk from Tyler Cotto and a single from Jacob Grimes. After coming in to pinch run for Cotto, rookie Evan Zapp took advantage of a failed Purple Eagles pick-off attempt and scored to extend the lead to 11-2.
-Niagara would manufacture a run in the top of the ninth inning by capitalizing on two free passes and a wild pitch, but Logan Schmitt would ultimately seal the door shut and secure the 11-3 victory.
 
BY THE NUMBERS
-Making his first collegiate start behind the plate, freshman Matthew Suppa turned in a 4-for-4 performance with an RBI and a run.
-Rookie Jacob Grimes also earned his first collegiate start and did not disappoint going 3-for-4 with two runs scored and two stolen bases.
-Freshman Jake Barbour made his sixth consecutive start at second base for the Royals and posted a 2-for-4 afternoon, including his first collegiate home run. The Raleigh native added two runs scored and two stolen bases to his line. Defensively, the rookie added five assists for a clean sheet in the field.
-Veteran outfielder Dillon Lewis got his sixth start in left field and put together a 3-for-5 day with a team-leading three RBIs. Lewis also swiped a bag adding to his team-best four stolen bases.
-Zach Weston and Will Budnick rounded out the explosive offense with a hit each. Weston belted his first home run of the season to kickstart the Royals fifth inning.
-Freshman right-hander Derek Westfall got the ball for his second collegiate start and turned in 4.0 innings, two hits, two runs, and three strikeouts.
-Junior reliever Blake Efird picked up his second career victory by twirling 1.1 scoreless innings. The Monroe native came in at a crucial point with bases loaded and no outs and surrendered a pair of fielder's choices before ending the inning with a third straight groundball.
-The back end of the bullpen featuring Isaiah Bennett, Johnny Joseph, and Logan Schmitt combined to throw 3.2 innings while giving up one run, one walk, and striking out one Purple Eagle.
-Queens swiped a season-high six bags on the day which tied for seventh most in a single game in program history.
 
NEXT UP
Queens and Niagara will wrap up the three-game weekend series tomorrow, February 25^th at 12:00 p.m. The Royals will be looking for their first sweep of the season, and second in Division 1 after sweeping North Florida last year.
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
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