Box Score FIRST PITCH
Score: Elon 8 | Queens 7
Records: Elon (11-17 overall, 3-9 CAA) | Queens (7-21 overall, 3-6 ASUN)
Location: Latham Park (Elon, N.C.)
 
THE SHORT STORY
After scrapping back into the game with four runs over the final two innings to force extra innings, the Queens University of Charlotte baseball team dropped a tough 8-7 battle at Elon on Tuesday night. Despite limiting Elon to three hits, the Royals couldn't overcome 11 walks and six hit-by-pitches as the Phoenix took the first-ever meeting on a walk-off single in the 10^th inning.

HOW IT HAPPENED
-Elon struck first in the bottom of the third inning, plating two runs on no hits. The Phoenix capitalized on three walks and two hit by pitches to grab an early 2-0 lead.
-Queens answered back in the top of the fourth inning with one run on one hit. Bradley Brown led off the inning with a single to right field before stealing second. Anibal Rivera advanced Brown to third with a groundout, and Avery Booker stepped in and delivered a sacrifice fly to cut the deficit in half.
-For the second straight inning, the Phoenix plated a pair. With the bases loaded and two outs, Brian DuRoff and Brent Smith worked back-to-back walks to bring in two runs and extend the lead to 4-1.
-The Royals responded again as Mitchell Basterrechea laced the first pitch he saw in the top of the fifth inning into the gap in left center for a leadoff double. Matthew Suppa laced a single through the right side to put runners on the corners. Grayson Childers stepped in and sent a fly ball to shallow left field, but Basterrechea showed off his speed, beating the throw home to cut the deficit back to 4-2.
-For the third straight frame, Queens cracked the scoring column, plating one run on two hits. Anibal Rivera stayed hot, roping a one-out double to right center before Avery Booker advanced Rivera up 90 feet with a deep fly out. Thomas Mathay wouldn't let the Phoenix escape as he sent a 1-1 pitch into center field to bring the Royals within one.
-In the top of the eighth inning, Queens broke through with three runs on four hits. Head Coach Jake Hendrick turned to Lenox Lively as a pinch hitter for the second straight game, and Lively delivered again with a one-out home run down the right field line. The swing sparked the Royals bats as Thomas Mathay and Matthew Suppa singled while Mitchell Basterrechea walked. Dylan Schaefer stepped in and roped a two-run double to left field to put the Royals ahead for the first time in the game.
-Elon answered right back in the bottom of the eighth inning with three runs on no hits. The Phoenix capitalized again on free passes, including four walks and a hit by pitch, to regain a 7-6 lead.
-Down to their final three outs, Queens wouldn't go away easily in the ninth. After the first two Royals were retired on 10 pitches, Anibal Rivera reached on an infield single. Lenox Lively stepped in and worked a four-pitch walk as Logan Norris entered for Rivera as a pinch runner. Thomas Mathay entered the box and shot a 0-1 pitch through the left side to bring Norris around to score, and tied the game 7-7.
-After retiring the Royals in order in the top of the 10^th inning, the Phoenix plated the game-winning run in the bottom half of the inning. A sacrifice bunt followed a leadoff walk from Brent Smith to advance the winning run into scoring position. Queens picked up the second out of the inning with an infield pop out, but an RBI single to right center on a 3-2 pitch brought home the winning run for the Phoenix.

BY THE NUMBERS
-Anibal Rivera stayed hot at the dish, turning in a 3-for-5 night with a double. The multi-hit performance was the fifth of the season for Rivera as he's knocked a hit in four straight games.
-Thomas Mathay delivered a 3-for-5 evening, including two RBI. The three-hit showing was Mathay's second of the season.
-Matthew Suppa got the start behind the plate and put together his first multi-hit game of the season with a 2-for-4 day.
-Bradle Brown, Lenox Lively, Mitchell Basterrechea, and Dylan Schaefer rounded out the offense with a hit. Lenox blasted his third home run of the season while Schaefer laced his fifth double of the season to drive in two runs.
-Johnny Joseph and Davin Pollard tossed the first two innings of a bullpen day and turned in consecutive clean innings.
-Gibson Jones and Avery Booker worked efficient and scoreless innings of relief, including three combined strikeouts.
-Kensen Green and Owen Shipman combined for 2.0 scoreless innings of relief, including three strikeouts from Green.

NEXT UP
Queens will head to the Sunshine State this weekend for a three-game ASUN series at North Florida. The action will get underway on Thursday, April 2^nd at 6:00 p.m. from Harmon Stadium. All three games will be broadcast on ESPN+.
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
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