OPENING PITCH
Score: Queens 6 | Notre Dame 11
Records: Queens (4-13) | Notre Dame (10-4)
Location: Atrium Health Ballpark (Kannapolis, N.C.)

THE SHORT STORY
The Queens University of Charlotte baseball team battled back to erase a four-run deficit and tie the game at 6-6 in the seventh inning, but Notre Dame responded with five runs over the final two frames to claim an 11-6 victory Tuesday evening at Atrium Health Ballpark.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Queens struck first in the bottom of the opening inning. After Hunter Huneycutt reached base and moved into scoring position, Anibal Rivera delivered an RBI double to give the Royals an early 1-0 advantage.
• Notre Dame answered in the third inning with a five-run frame to take a 5-1 lead. The Irish used a series of hits and walks during the inning to push across the runs and shift momentum.
• The Royals responded in the bottom half of the inning. Queens plated two runs to cut the deficit to 5-3, highlighted by a run-scoring triple from Charlie Marcantel and a sacrifice fly from Grayson Childers.
• Queens continued to chip away at the lead in the sixth inning. Huneycutt came around to score his third run of the game to pull the Royals within one at 5-4.
• After Notre Dame pushed its advantage to 6-4 in the seventh, the Royals answered again. Queens scored twice in the bottom of the inning to even the contest at 6-6 as Huneycutt crossed the plate once more during the rally.
• The tie was short-lived as Notre Dame regained control in the eighth inning. Mark Quatrani, who finished the night with four hits, helped spark the rally before Notre Dame pushed across two runs to move back in front 8-6.
• Notre Dame added insurance in the ninth, scoring three more runs, including an RBI hit from Drew Berkland, to extend the lead and seal the 11-6 final.

ROYALS AT THE PLATE

• Huneycutt scored three runs while reaching base three times.
• Rivera finished 2-for-4 with an RBI double.
• Bradley Brown collected two hits and two stolen bases.
• Marcantel recorded a triple and an RBI.
• Childers drove in two runs for the Royals.

ON THE MOUND

• Adrian Quezada started for the Royals, working 2.1 innings with two strikeouts.
• Avery Booker turned in a strong outing out of the bullpen, tossing three scoreless innings while allowing just one hit and striking out two to keep Queens within striking distance.
• Owen Shipman was charged with the loss after allowing two runs in 1.1 innings, while Davin Pollard and Kensen Green also saw action late.

BY THE NUMBERS

• Queens recorded eight hits and four walks in the contest.
• The Royals scored six runs across four innings and erased a two-run deficit to tie the game in the seventh.
• Queens stole three bases on the night, including two from Bradley Brown.

NEXT UP
Queens returns to action this weekend in Fort Myers to face FGCU in ASUN play beginning on March 13.

SOCIAL MEDIA
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