ST. AUGUSTINE – Flagler College got some solid pitching, good defense, and timely hitting to complete a doubleheader sweep (3-2 and 2-0) of Queens University of Charlotte on Saturday at Drysdale Field. The Saints swept the three-game series.
In the opener,
Christian O'Kelly retired 15 of the first 17 batters he faced, including the first seven in a row. However, he would not figure in the decision as he tossed seven innings and allowed one run on three hits with seven strikeouts.
Queens (0-7) tied the game at 2-all in the ninth when it scored an unearned run. Mason Pickard led off the frame with a single to center and then scampered to third when the following batter, Drake Harris, reached on a throwing error. Noah Jones lifted a fly ball to center field to score Pickard.
Derick Garcia (1-0), working in his second inning in relief got out of the inning with a double play.
The Royals brought Zach Kelly (0-1) to pitch in the ninth. He allowed a lead-off walk to
John Fiorenza, who was replaced by pinch runner
Nikolas Dague. Dague took second on a wild pitch and
Josh Shrouder ripped a single down the left field line to end the game as Dague crossed home plate. Shrouder had the game-winning hit in Friday night's game.
Fiorenza had two singles in the first game and
Sean Lawlor belted a solo home run in the second inning.
In the second game, the combination of
Colt Mink (1-0) and
Zach Audet (save) proved to be too much for the Royals. They combined on a shutout and scattered seven hits with nine strikeouts.
Lawlor's RBI single in the first would be all the offense the two Saints hurlers would need.
Aaron Anderson led off the fourth with a triple to right-center and then scored on an errant throw by the Queens shortstop. He went 2-fo-3 with a double to go with his triple and he scored two runs.
Lawlor went 2-for-4 with a double and one run batted in.
Wes Boling (0-1) lasted two innings and allowed one run on two hits. He was one of four pitchers used.
Greyson Haller hit a double.
Flagler will visit Florida Tech on Tuesday (Feb. 11) with a 6 p.m. first pitch in Melbourne.
NOTE: The 6-0 start by Flagler is the program's best since opening the 1995 season 7-0. The Saints would go on to post a 38-17 record in Dave Barnett's seventh season as the head coach.
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