CHARLOTTE, N.C. - The Stetson University baseball team began their final road series of the regular season on a high note, taking a commanding 12-3 win over the Queens Royals in Charlotte on Friday night. The Hatters received contributions from every part of their lineup, as all nine starters reached base safely while Stetson never trailed in the ballgame. It was their 11th game of the season reaching double-digit runs as Stetson has put up 10 or more runs in each of the four games in the series history against the Royals

Senior Nick Durgin, now 4-2 on the season, picked up the victory out of the bullpen for Stetson, who is now 32-18 and 16-9 in ASUN play. The right-hander went 5.2 shutout innings while giving up five hits, allowing one walk and striking out six. Anthony DeFabbia, who started the game, and Durgin faced a combined batters in the contest, forcing 11 ground balls and eight fly balls while striking out nine. They limited Queens to just 2-for-13 (.154) with runners in scoring position.

Offensively, the Hatters were paced by sophomore Evan Griffis, who went 2-for-2 on the day with a triple, three walks and two RBIs. The triple was initially a home run to left field but ruled out with a misstep at home plate. Sophomore Lorenzo Meola also put together a noteworthy performance at the plate, going 1-for-3 with two walks and two RBIs. Junior Yohann Dessureault put together one hit in three trips to the plate while adding two walks and two RBIs.

The Hatters got on the board immediately, starting their scoring with one run in the top of the first inning. Stetson scored twice, with one run coming across on Meola's single to straightaway center.

The Royals then gained ground, narrowing the lead to 2-1 until the Hatters expanded their advantage in the third. The Stetson offense exploded for five runs, highlighted by a two-run single off the bat of Griffis, which brought the score to 7-1 in favor of the Hatters.

Stetson held Queens without a run before expanding their lead to 11-1 the following inning. The Hatters bats heated up in the inning, scoring four runs, including a two-run single off the bat of senior Brandon Hylton.

The Royals fought back, closing the gap to 11-3 until Stetson added some insurance in the ninth. Sophomore Isaiah Barkett crossed home plate with the lone run of the inning for the Hatters, bringing the score to 12-3 in favor of Stetson. 

Despite being out-hit 11-10, the Hatters went 6-for-17 (.353) with runners in scoring position including three hits in seven at-bats with the bases loaded.

Stetson will return to action tomorrow at 2:00 PM as they look to take the series win on Saturday in Charlotte. 

About Stetson University Athletics: Stetson University's Athletics Program is driven by a shared purpose. It is what inspires, motivates and binds us together. More than a task, a reason for being. THE HATTER PURPOSE is to create and provide an experience of a lifetime through teamwork and relationships to achieve excellence. This purpose is achieved through five Core Values: Communication, Integrity, Excellence, Value People and Commitment. To learn more about the HATS program and our Core Values, visit GoHatters.com/HATS.

Get in on the conversation on social media by following Stetson Athletics on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter . For video content, visit our YouTube channels: Stetson Hatters, Stetson Athletics For a recap of the week's notable stories, sign up for the Stetson Athletics Newsletter