Newark, Del. – Returning to the NCAA Baseball Tournament for the first time since the 1998 season, the Queens College baseball (33-18 overall) earned the No. 6 seed in the East Regional Bracket No. 2.
On Thursday (May. 18) afternoon, the Knights matched up against No. 3 seed Le Moyne College Dolphins (32-19 overall) in the opening game of the No. 2 bracket.
After a slow start and trailing 2-0, the Knights' offense would come alive as they took a 7-4 lead before the Dolphins tied the game 7-7.
Having forced extra innings, it would be the Dolphins who scored the winning run as they earned an 8-7 walk-off win over the Knights to advance into the winner bracket.
With the loss, the Knights move into Friday afternoon's loser bracket game.
The Knights' offense was limited to eight hits but senior Reed Hoskins's (Freeport, N.Y.) (3-5, 2B, HR, 4RBI, 2R) three-hit performance would lead the way while sophomore Juan De La Rosa (Bronx, N.Y.) (2-5, 2B, 2R) recorded a multi-hit game as the duo combined for five hits, four RBI and four runs scored.
While the trio of sophomore Marc Cisco (Long Island City, N.Y.) (1-4, 2B, R), freshman Jorsixt Jimenez (Queens, N.Y.) (1-5, RBI, BB), and rookie Andrew Ramirez (Walnut, Calif.) (1-4, R) combined for three hits and two runs scored.
On the mound senior Liam Pulsipher (East Moriches, N.Y.) (6.0 IP, 4H, 6ER, 2BB, 2K), junior Danny Gargano (Middle Island, N.Y.) (1.2 IP, 1H, R, 2BB, K) and freshman
Christopher Naronis (Floral Park, N.Y) (L 5-6, 1.1 IP, H, ER, 2BB) earned their first NCAA Tournament appearance as they worked to limit the Dolphins to 14 hits, seven earned runs, and four strikeouts, while Naronis would suffer the hard-luck loss in the Dolphin's victory.
It would be a slow start for the Knights as they were held hitless through the first four innings of play with only two runners able to reach, while the Dolphins opened the early scoring as they took a 2-0 lead.
Having been held hitless through the first four innings of play, Rosa would lead the charge in the top of the fifth with a double to left field before Hoskins cut the Knights' deficit down to 2-1 with an RBI single up the middle.
As the Knights loaded the bases on a hit by a pitch and a walk, a fielder's choice grounder RBI off the bat of junior Nick Barreiros (Seaford, N.Y.) would see Queens tie the game before a sac bunt RBI from Jayson Rodopoulos (Scarsdale, N.Y.) gave the Knights a slim lead of 3-2 heading into the bottom of the fifth inning.
The Dolphins would tie the game in the home half of the fifth as both sides started to exchange runs.
Now with the game tied, 3-3 heading in the top of the sixth, Queens responded with one out as senior Anthony Fontana (Wantagh, N.Y.) got hit by a pitch before Rosa recorded his second hit of the afternoon to give Queens two base runners with one out.
With two runners, Hoskins would blast a three-run shot over left-center field as the Knights took a 6-3 lead as the senior broke out his hot bat in his first-ever NCAA Appearance with his seventh home run of the year.
But a solo shot from the Dolphins would see the home side on the scoreboard cut the Knights' lead down to 6-4 before Cisco and Jimenez combined to get the run back in the top of the seventh for a three-run lead of 7-4.
Le Moyne would get two runs back in the bottom of the seventh before a one-out triple threatened to tie the game. Pulsipher would get the second out of the inning before the Knights turned to the bullpen for the first time on the day and Gargano would see his name called.
The Middle Island native would get the final out on a swinging strikeout to send the game into the top of the eighth.
Queens would leave the bases loaded as they were unable to get add more insurance runs before a fielding error would see the home team knot the game 7-7.
As the Knights were unable to get anything going in the top of the ninth, Gargano opened the bottom frame with a one-out grounder following an incredible play from Ramirez at shortstop, before the Knights were forced to intentionally walk the next batter.
But as another walk was issued, the Knights turned to rookie Naronis to send the game into extra innings to give Queens a fighting chance.
And the rookie would deliver as he induced an inning-ending 4-6-3 double play to send the game into extra innings.
Playing in back-to-back extra-inning games, the Knights looked for the game-winning run as Hoskins blast a shot into center field which just died a few feet away from going over for a solo shot for a double with two outs.
But the Dolphins would leave Hoskins at bay on second base as they got the third out to give themselves a chance to walk it off.
It would be Le Moyne who would take advantage of a potential missed call at third base to force 11th innings on a force out before the Dolphins scored the winning run on a wild pitch to defeat the Knights to the final score of 8-7 Thursday afternoon.
Despite the tough loss, head coach Chris Reardon and his Knights pushed the No. 3 Le Moyne College to extra innings after being hitless through the first four innings of play as the Knights battled through some nervous moments.
UP NEXT: But now their backs are against the walls as the extra-inning loss moves them into the Loser's Bracket heading into Friday's (May. 19) afternoon game. Head coach Chris Reardon and the Knights need to win four games in a row to advance to keep their season alive.
It will begin against the No. 7 seed Golden Falcons of Felician University who will be the home side on the scoreboard in the contest with the first pitch set for 3:30 p.m.
Provided by the Queens Sports Information Department.
