FIRST PITCH
Score: Queens 13 | North Alabama 8
Records: Queens (12-36 overall, 8-16 ASUN) | North Alabama (16-30 overall, 8-16 ASUN)
Location: Charlotte, N.C. (The Stick)
 
The Short Story: Behind six multi-hit performances, the Queens University of Charlotte baseball team salvaged the weekend series with an 11-8 victory over North Alabama on Sunday afternoon.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
-North Alabama jumped on the board quickly with a run in the first inning. Frei Gehrig ripped a one-out single through the right side before Andrew Wright drew a two-out walk. Levi Jensen followed it up with an RBI single through the left side to plate the first run of the game.
-The Lions added onto their lead in the top of the third inning with a run on one hit. Following a leadoff hit-by-pitch, Kyle Machado smoked a double down the left field line to plate Frei and extend the lead to 2-0.
-After being held in check through the first two innings, the Royals exploded in the bottom of the third inning with six runs on five hits and one Lions error. After Tyler Peters worked a one-out hit-by-pitch, senior Mason Kelly singled to second base to begin the scoring threat. Jake Barbour would reach on a costly error by the third baseman to load the bases and Dillon Lewis made the visitors pay with a three-run triple to right center. An infield ground out would give the Lions a second out, but Queens continued to do damage as Zach Weston singled down the right field line to plate Lewis. Nick Alderfer singled up the middle and Tyler Cotto walked to load the bases again before Will Budnick punished a 1-1 pitch into the left field corner to bring home two more runs.
-North Alabama cut into the deficit in the top of the fifth inning. Kyle Machado sent a one-out triple to right field. Two batters later, Levi Jensen sent a sacrifice fly to center field to plate Machado and cut the Royals lead to 6-3.
-Queens got back in the scoring column in the bottom of the sixth with four runs on three hits. Tyler Peters and Jake Barbour worked a pair of walks before Dillon Lewis laced a 3-2 changeup to left field to score Peters. Matthew Corlew followed it up with a two-run double to right center. The Lions would pick up the second out of the frame, but Nick Alderfer wouldn't let the visitors escape the jam without punching an RBI single to right field to extend the lead to 10-3.
-North Alabama responded immediately in the top of the seventh. The Lions greeted Jack Brooker with a leadoff double down the right field line before a Frei Gehrig two-run blast cut the deficit to 10-5. Brooker would settle in and finish the inning cleanly.
-Queens answered right back in the bottom half of the inning. Will Budnick led off the frame with a single to right field before swiping second and advancing to third on a wild pitch. Tyler Peters worked a walk and Mason Kelly brought home a run on a fielder's choice.
-North Alabama countered with their biggest inning of the game in the top of the eighth inning. Following back-to-back walks to lead off the inning, Leighton Jenkins ripped a two-run triple to left center. Jonathan Lane followed it up with an RBI single to cut the deficit to 11-8. Queens turned to the bullpen and Isaiah Bennett came on to get a fly out and a 5-4-3 double play to minimize the damage.
 
BY THE NUMBERS
-Dillon Lewis led the offense with a 2-for-4 afternoon, including his first triple of the season. The Charlotte native drove in four runs and is tied for the single-season program record with 57 on the year.
-Will Budnick stayed hot at the plate going 3-for-5 while driving in three runs. The multi-hit performance was Budnick's eighth of the season.
-Outfielder Matthew Corlew continued his hot offensive stretch going 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs. Corlew has knocked a hit in seven of the last 10 games.
-Zach Weston turned in his eighth multi-hit game of the season with a 2-for-4 game.
-Nick Alderfer and Mason Kelly both recorded multi-hit outings while also driving in a run each.
-Jack Renaud got the ball in his fourth start of the season and tossed 2.0 innings allowing just one run.
-Arnav Ghuliani made his seventh appearance out of the bullpen this season and tossed a scoreless frame. The southpaw has worked back-to-back scoreless appearances for the Royals.
-Isaiah Bennett was dominant out of the bullpen to close the game. The senior notched his first save of the year after tossing two scoreless innings and striking out a pair of Lions.
-The Royals offense capitalized all afternoon hitting .471 with runners in scoring position. Queens drove in four runs with two outs.

NEXT UP
Queens will hit the road on Tuesday, May 7^th for a showdown in Knoxville with No. 3 Tennessee. The game will get underway at 6:30 p.m. on the SEC Network Plus. The meeting with the Volunteers will be the first all-time series between the programs, and the Royals third matchup with a top 25 program this season.

SOCIAL MEDIA
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