FIRST PITCH
Score: Queens 11 | West Georgia 3
Records: Queens (9-42 overall, 7-21 ASUN) | West Georgia (18-31 overall, 9-19 ASUN)
Location: The Stick (Charlotte, N.C.)
 
The Short Story:
The Queens University of Charlotte baseball team took down West Georgia on Thursday night behind an explosive offensive performance. The Royals matched their season-high with 14 hits on the night as senior Will Budnick led the charge with a 5-for-5 night at the dish. The five hits tied former Royals standouts Dillon Lewis, Riley Cheek, and Greyson Haller for the second most in a single game in school history.

HOW IT HAPPENED
-Queens jumped on the visiting Wolves from the jump with a five run first inning. Ryan Brown led off the frame with a single to center field before Anibal Rivera moved him into scoring position. Logan Schmitt and Nick Alderfer would reach via a free pass to load the bases and Jake Barbour provided the first blow with an RBI single to left center. Senior Will Budnick stepped in and ripped an 0-1 pitch over the right fielders head to plate two more and extend the early lead to 3-0. The Wolves would pick up the second out, but Tyler Peters wouldn't let the visitors escape lacing a 1-1 pitch into the left field gap for a two-run double.
-West Georgia answered right back in the top of the second inning as Mason Cooper led off the inning with a single. The quick start led to a two-run blast from Tyler Presnell to cut into the deficit, 5-2.
-In the bottom of the fifth inning, Queens tacked on a run on two hits. Jake Barbour and Will Budnick led off the inning with back-to-back singles to put runners on the corners. Tyler Peters stepped in and brought home Barbour on a fielder's choice to extend the lead to 6-2.
-West Georgia responded back in the top of the sixth with a run. With runners in scoring position and one out, Mason Cooper sent a sacrifice fly to center field to cut the deficit back to three.
-Queens manufactured two more runs in the bottom of the seventh inning. Will Budnick stepped in and smashed a solo home run to right center for his fourth hit of the night. The Wolves turned to their bullpen which hit Justin Hudson on the ensuing at bat. Freshman Jay Polite entered as a pinch runner and swiped second before advancing to third on a ground out from Tyler Peters. Polite would come around to score on a wild pitch to extend the lead to 8-3.
-The Royals kept their foot on the gas in the bottom of the eighth and added three insurance runs on four hits. With runners on second and third and one out, Will Budnick flared his fifth hit of the day over second base and brought home a run. Jay Polite and Tyler Peters both stepped in and ripped 2-1 RBI singles to give Queens a commanding 11-3 advantage heading into the final inning.

BY THE NUMBERS
-Joey Ruller made his eighth start of the season and tossed and matched his career-high with 6.0 innings pitched and seven strikeouts. The southpaw surrendered two earned runs on four hits in a 104-pitch effort.
-The five hit night from Will Budnick marked his 12^th multi-hit game of the season.
-Freshman Ryan Brown continued his dominance offensively going 3-for-4 with two walks at the plate. The Ashland, Kentucky native has eight multi-hit games this season, and tonight was his second three-hit performance.
-Raleigh native Jake Barbour posted a 2-for-5 game at the plate, including an RBI and two runs scored. The multi-hit game was his team-leading 13^th of the season.
-Tyler Peters provided a key spark in the offense with a 2-for-5 night, including a double. The senior drove in a season-high four RBI.
-Logan Schmitt and Jay Polite rounded out the impressive offensive performance with a hit.
-Freshman Matthew Eagen picked up his first collegiate save with 3.0 scoreless innings of relief and a season-high four strikeouts.
-Queens executed flawlessly on the night with runners in scoring position hitting .316 while holding the Wolves to an 0-for-2 mark.

NEXT UP
Queens and West Georgia will return to action tomorrow, May 16^th at 6:00 p.m. from The Stick. The first pitch is set for 6:05 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on ESPN Plus.

SOCIAL MEDIA
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