FIRST PITCH
Score: Queens 2 | Southern Illinois 0
Records: Queens (2-3 overall, 0-0 ASUN) | Southern Illinois (1-3 overall, 0-0 MVC)  
Location: The Stick Williams Dream Fields (Charlotte, N.C.)
 
THE SHORT STORY
Despite a cold night offensively from the Royals bats, veteran left-hander Joey Ruller stepped up on the mound and tossed a career-high seven shutout innings to lead the Queens University of Charlotte baseball team past Southern Illinois on Friday night. The evening was dominated by the pitching on both sides as both starters didn't allow a run and combined for 14 strikeouts.

HOW IT HAPPENED
-Making his second straight Friday night start of the season, southpaw Joey Ruller delivered a gem for the Royals, tossing 6.1 innings without allowing a hit. However, Southern Illinois starter Andrew Evans countered Ruller's gem with 7.0 innings with only one Queens hit.
-The Salukis first base runner came in the top of the seventh as Cecil Lofton singled to right center and advanced to second on a wild pitch. However, the Royals would escape catching Lofton in a rundown before a ground out ended the jam.
-Queens broke through in the bottom of the eighth inning, capitalizing on a Southern Illinois pitching change. After Anibal Rivera chased the Salukis starter with a single to left center, Charlie Marcantel dropped down a sacrifice bunt to advance Rivera into scoring position. The Salukis would pick up the second out of the inning with a strikeout, but elected to intentionally walk Hunter Huneycutt with first base open. The move proved costly as newcomer Dylan Schaefer laced an 0-2 pitch down the left field line to bring home Schaefer and Huneycutt and give the Royals a 2-0 lead.
-Coming back out for his second inning of work, Jake Young induced a pair of groundballs and struck out the final Saluki to seal the 2-0 victory for the Royals.

BY THE NUMBERS
-Charlotte native Joey Ruller twirled a career-high 7.0 scoreless innings, surrendering just one hit while striking out five Salukis.
-Veteran Anibal Rivera turned in his first multi-hit game of the season, and ninth of his career with a 2-for-3 day at the plate.
-Redshirt Sophomore Jake Young picked up his first win of the season, tossing 2.0 clean innings in relief with two strikeouts.
-Dylan Schaefer turned in a 1-for-3 day, including the big swing in the eighth inning to drive in the only two runs of the game.
-Southern Illinois starter Andrew Evans finished the night with 7.0 scoreless innings, allowing just two hits while striking out nine batters.
-The Queens pitching staff tossed its first shutout since March 28, 2024.
-The last time the Royals surrendered one hit in a single game was March 11, 2022, against Limestone when the Royals were a Division 2 program.

NEXT UP
Queens and Southern Illinois will return to The Stick for game two of the weekend series on Saturday, February 21^st. The first pitch will be at 6:00 p.m. Admission is required at the gate.
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
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