FIRST PITCH
Score: North Florida 6 | Queens 0
Records: North Florida (11-6 overall, 1-0 ASUN) | Queens (4-14 overall, 0-1 ASUN)
Location: Charlotte, N.C. (The Stick)
 
The Short Story: Despite a quality start from Landry Jurecka, the Queens University of Charlotte baseball team fell 6-0 in their conference opener against North Florida at The Stick on Friday night.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
-The Royals threatened in the first inning putting a runner in scoring position with one out. However, back-to-back strikeouts ended the threat for Queens.
-The game would quickly turn into a pitcher's duel as the game remained scoreless through four innings. The Ospreys would threaten in the third and fourth innings before Jurecka would get out of the innings unscathed.
-North Florida got on the board first in the fifth inning. Outfielder Drew Leinenbach ripped an RBI-double following a leadoff walk for the Ospreys.
-In the sixth, consecutive strikeouts by Royals reliever Jack Renaud stranded another runner in scoring position for the Ospreys.
-Queens would threaten in the seventh after a leadoff single by Jake Barbour and a fielder's choice putting a Royal in scoring position. A Matthew Corlew walk later in the inning would put runners on first and second with two outs for the Royals with leading offensive threat Dillon Lewis coming to the plate. However, a strikeout would end the threat for Queens.
-The Ospreys offense came alive in the eighth inning scoring five runs to take a commanding 6-0 lead. Back-to-back walks and a single loaded the bases for North Florida with nobody out. Then, a walk would follow to push across a run before consecutive strikeouts stopped the bleeding momentarily. Three straight singles by North Florida would plate four runs as the Ospreys took a controlling 6-0 lead.
-Queens threatened once again in the eighth inning as JJ Sousa hit a leadoff double. However, a double play would end the threat as the game went into the final frame.
-With two outs in the ninth inning, Connor Manco belted a double into left field in the ninth inning to give the Royals life. However, a swinging strikeout would end the game as the Ospreys secured the victory in game one of the three-game series.
 
BY THE NUMBERS
-Kansas State transfer Landry Jurecka provided a quality start for the Royals. Across 5.0 innings of work, the sophomore right-hander allowed one run on four hits with four strikeouts.
-Connor Manco and JJ Sousa recorded the Royals two extra-base hits with a double each.
-The Royals had a great eye at the plate on Friday evening drawing six walks as a team, marking the second-most in a game this season.
-Nick Alderfer and Jake Barbour each recorded hits on the afternoon for the Royals.
-The Queens offense will look to bounce back tomorrow as they were held to four hits, and zero runs. The shutout marked the first time all year the Royals were held scoreless.
-Tanner Cullen sat down all three batters he faced in the ninth inning. The freshman struck out one batter in his 1.0 inning of action.
-Queens fanned 11 North Florida batters on the evening marking the fourth time this year that the Royals have struck out 10 or more batters.
 
NEXT UP
Queens and North Florida will return to The Stick tomorrow afternoon for game two of the three-game series. The first pitch is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on ESPN Plus.
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
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