FIRST PITCH
Score: Yale 10 | Queens 3
Records: Yale (3-0 overall, 0-0 Ivy League) | Queens (2-5 overall, 0-0 ASUN)
Location: Charlotte, N.C. (The Stick)
 
The Short Story:
After taking a 3-2 lead into the top of the ninth inning, the Queens University of Charlotte baseball team saw their lead diminish as the visiting Yale Bulldogs plated eight runs over the final two innings to complete the series sweep. Despite the loss, Queens showed resilience overcoming a late 2-1 deficit with a pair of runs in the eighth inning.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
-Yale jumped on the board first in the top of the first inning. Jeff Pierantoni reached on a throwing error and advanced to second base on the misthrow. The Bulldogs would go to work and manufacture the run with a ground out to advance the runner to third and a sacrifice fly to drive Pierantoni in for the 1-0 lead. Queens applied pressure in the bottom of the frame by loading the bases with two outs, but a fly out to right center ended the scoring threat.
-After Queens starter Adrian Quezada settled in and turned in back-to-back scoreless frames, the visiting Bulldogs would plate their second run of the game on a solo home run down the right field line off the bat of Tommy Martin.
-The Royals got into a groove in the bottom of the sixth inning following a leadoff home run from Nick Alderfer to cut the deficit to 2-1. Justin Hudson and Will Budnick followed it up with singles to put pressure on the Bulldogs pitching. However, Yale picked up consecutive strikeouts and a ground out to escape the jam.
-Trailing 2-1 heading into the bottom of the eighth inning, the Royals would put together some two-out magic. Freshman Lenox Lively got the rally started with a single through the right side and Chase Fogg would enter to pinch run. Jacob Grimes followed it up lacing a double to right center which got past the sliding Bulldogs outfielder. Head Coach Jake Hendrick didn't waver on sending Fogg and the sophomore put an incredible swim move on the Yale catcher to beat the play at the plate and tie the game up 2-2. Veteran Caleb Stewart carried the momentum into a key at-bat flaring a single to left field bringing home Grimes for the 3-2 lead.
-Yale didn't go away as a lead-off hit by-pitch and wild pitch put the tying run on second. Kaiden Dossa capitalized with a single through the left side to plate the tying run in the ninth. Queens turned to their freshman closer Ryan Brown who closed the inning without further damage.
-In the bottom of the ninth, the Royals applied pressure following a leadoff single from Anibal Rivera. The Bulldogs turned to their bullpen which managed to escape the inning and send the game to extra innings.
-The Bulldogs would strike first in extra innings after Jack Dauer reached on an error to start the frame. A wild pitch advanced Dauer into scoring position and an infield single put the Bulldogs in business. Yale dropped down a sacrifice bunt to advance both runners into scoring position. A walk loaded the bases and Kaiden Dossa delivered again with a fielder's choice to put the visitors ahead. Yale wasn't done yet as Chace Chaplin laced a bases-clearing double to left center to extend the Bulldogs lead to 7-3. The Bulldogs would tack on three more runs to take a 10-3 lead into the bottom of the 10^th inning.

BY THE NUMBERS
-Right-hander Adrian Quezada made his first start at The Stick and turned in a quality 6.1 innings allowing just one earned run on two hits while striking out six Bulldogs.
-Senior Nick Alderfer paced the Royals offense with his second multi-hit game of the series turning in a 2-for-5 day, including a double and his first home run of the season.
-Junior Anibal Rivera recorded his first multi-hit game of the season with a 2-for-4 day, including a walk. The shortstop has been efficient at the top of the lineup posting a .455 on-base percentage this season.
-Jacob Grimes turned in a 1-for-5 day at the plate, including the big swing to tie the game in the eighth inning.
-Justin Hudson, Will Budnick, Lenox Lively, and Caleb Stewart added to the offensive production with a hit. Budnick stroked a hit in all three games of the weekend series while Lively and Stewart drove a hit in the last two games of the series.
-Jake Barbour saw his six-game hitting streak snapped, but a hit-by-pitch in the first inning extended his on-base streak to seven straight games.
-Reliever Jack Renaud tossed 1.1 pivotal innings of relief striking out a pair. Newcomer Brodie McFadden picked up a pivotal strikeout to keep the Bulldogs off the board.
-Freshman Ryan Brown made his fourth appearance of the season, and second of the series and threw a scoreless inning to get out of a jam.

NEXT UP
Queens will return to action on Tuesday, February 25^th when the Royals travel to High Point for a midweek game. The first pitch is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on ESPN Plus. Following the Tuesday evening tilt, Queens will prepare to host West Virginia for a four-game series beginning Friday night at Atrium Health Ballpark in Kannapolis. Fans can purchase their tickets by visiting the Queens Athletics website.

SOCIAL MEDIA
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