St. John’s Baseball vs. Minnesota
2/18/11
St. John’s Routs Minnesota in First Game of 2011 Season
Clearwater, FL -- The Red Storm blew out the Golden Gophers by a score of 14-1 in their 2011 opener and first contest of the Big East-Big 10 challenge at Jack Russell Stadium. The sunny Florida skies played a major factor in the game as several fly balls were misplayed by the Golden Gophers, who committed four errors. Contrarily, the Red Storm defense was stellar, committing no errors. The St. John’s offense overpowered Minnesota pitching, stringing together 18 hits, nine of which were for extra bases.
The Red Storm drew first blood in the bottom of the third inning, scoring two runs and knocking the Minnesota starting pitcher out of the game. A six-run fifth inning gave St. John’s a commanding lead that the Golden Gophers could not come back from. Every Red Storm starter contributed at least one base hit and seven mashed extra base hits. Amongst the offensive leaders was junior shortstop Joe Panik, who drove in two runs, scored twice, stole a base, and doubled on his way to reaching base four times. Senior first baseman Paul Karmas reached base three times, doubled, drove in a run, swiped a bag, and scored once. Redshirt senior catcher Joe Witkowski doubled twice, plated a run, and scored twice. Sophomore third baseman Sean O’Hare also scored twice in addition to hitting the fourth triple of his college career. Newcomers, freshman outfielder Rowan Wick and freshman designated hitter Frank Schwindel, also made significant contributions to the Red Storm offense. On a full count in the bottom of the third, Wick launched a shot over the right field wall for the first home run and base hit of his college career. Schwindel reached base three times, doubled, and scored twice.
Sophomore left-handed pitcher Sean Hagan got the opening day nod and shut down the Golden Gophers over 5.0 innings, earning the win. Hagan struck out four, yielded only three hits, and walked just one. Sophomore right-handed pitcher Kyle Hansen -- a pre-season All-Big East selection -- came on in relief and gave up only one run en route to finishing the game. Hansen allowed just five base runners in his 4.0 innings of work and was credited with the save.
St. John’s is set to take on the Michigan Wolverines at Al Lang/Progressive Energy Park in St. Petersberg tomorrow at 1 pm. Sophomore right-hander Matt Carasiti will take the hill for the Red Storm. Carasiti was 7-4 with a 5.94 ERA in 53.0 innings of work in 2010.
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| Hitting Coach Mike Hampton discusses strategy with the outfielders |
St. John’s baseball vs. Michigan
2/19/11
The No. 23 St. John’s Offense Powers itself to Victory, Defeating Michigan 13-6
St. Petersburg, Fla - St. John’s (2-0) defeated another Big Ten opponent by a large margin, taking down Michigan (0-2) by a score of 13-6. The Red Storm bats were alive again today, stringing together 17 hits. Jeremy Baltz contributed three RBIs and three runs scored and Jimmy Brennan and Matt Wessinger drove in two runs each. Paul Karmas reached base four times, scored two runs, and drove in one. Although Michigan only managed to plate three runs through eight innings, the Johnnies used five pitchers on the way to their second victory in the Big East-Big Ten challenge. Sophomore Matt Carasiti started the game, but ran into a bases-loaded jam in the fourth inning and was relieved by junior Stephen Rivera after yielding a run. Rivera (1-0) tossed 3.2 innings of shutout ball, allowed only three base runners, and earned the win. Freshman Adam Davis, senior Jose Rodriguez, and junior Kevin Kilpatrick combined to pitch the final two innings. Ben Ballantine (0-1) made the start for Michigan and scattered six earned runs over 3.2 innings, taking the loss. Patrick Biondi was 4-for-5 with one run and one RBI and Coley Crank reached base safely four times for the Wolverines.
The Johnnies stranded runners in the first inning, but drew first blood again today, getting on the board in the second inning when Frankie Schwindel grounded out to second base, driving in Paul Karmas, who reached base on a single.
St. John’s doubled their lead in the third inning when Sean O’Hare singled up the middle, scoring Baltz. Baltz had reached on a fielder’s choice and was moved into scoring position by a Karmas single.
With the bases loaded in the fourth inning, Baltz broke the game open in the fourth inning with a bases clearing double in the left field gap, scoring Joe Witkowski, Wessinger, and Joe Panik. Karmas followed up with a solid line drive up the middle, driving in Baltz from second base.
After pounding the strike zone for the first two innings, Red Storm starter, Carasiti, pitched himself into trouble in the third inning by walking three Michigan hitters. However, catcher Joe Witkowski helped out his pitcher by throwing two of them out at second base when they attempted to steal.
It was more of the same for Carasiti in the fourth inning when he loaded the bases for the Wolverines with no outs. After Garrett Stephens drove in the first Michigan run on a sacrifice fly to leftfield, Carasiti was lifted for Rivera.
Rivera promptly struck out the first Michigan batter he faced. Although he gave up an RBI single to Michael O’Neill, Rivera induced a pop out to end the inning immediately afterwards. Rivera struck out three, only allowing one walk and two hits in his 3.2 innings of work.
St. John’s answered right back with two runs in the fifth inning, putting their lead over Michigan back to six runs. The runs came off the bat of Wessinger, who doubled in Rowan Wick and Jimmy Brennan. Wick reached base with his second base hit of his college career and was moved into scoring position by Witkowski’s single and Brennan’s subsequent fielder’s choice.
The Red Storm put together another four-run effort in the sixth inning. Baltz led off the inning with a high-bouncing groundball to the pitcher that caused him to overthrow the first baseman and allow Baltz to advance to second. Karmas then reached base after a four-pitch walk. A hard-hit ball by Schwindel that was misplayed by the shortstop allowed Baltz to score and Karmas to move to third. Witkowski then came through with his second hit of the day, driving in Karmas and moving Schwindel into scoring position. A Brennan double cleared the bases and extended the St. John’s lead to ten runs.
Freshman Adam Davis made his collegiate debut when he came into pitch the eighth inning. He allowed one walk, one hit, and one earned run – a Garrett Stephens sacrifice fly.
St. John’s answered right back in the top of the ninth inning with a run of their own when Pat Talbut’s line drive single scored Brennan, who had reached on a double to the left field gap.
Jose Rodriguez took the hill in the ninth, but struggled, giving up three runs on five straight hits before inducing a double play. After Rodriguez walked the next batter, Kevin Kilpatrick was brought on to record the last out.
St. John’s is set to take on Ohio State in their final game of the Big East-Big Ten challenge on Feb 20 at 10 am at the Raymond A. Naimoli Complex in St. Petersburg. Brendan Lobban will make the start for the Red Storm.
2/20/11
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| A view from the dugout at Progressive Energy Park at Al Lang Field |
STJ Baseball vs. Ohio State
No. 23 St. John’s Squanders Six-Run Lead, loses in 11 innings
After winning their first two games against Big Ten opponents by large margins, the Red Storm dropped an extra inning game to Ohio State by a score of 8-7.
The high-powered Red Storm offense fell flat early, failing to produce a run after the third inning
St. Petersburg, Fla - Junior Brendan Lobban took the hill for the Red Storm, tossing 4.0 innings of one run ball and leaving the game with a 7-1 lead. Great defensive plays by Sean O’Hare, Matt Wessinger, and Robert Case helped Lobban work out of trouble multiple times. St. John’s (2-1) pushed their seven runs across early in the game due in large part to pre-season All-American Jeremy Baltz’s 4-for-5, two RBI effort. However, Ohio State (1-2) tagged sophomore reliever Anthony Cervone for six runs in the fifth inning, tying the game. After only recording two outs, Cervone was replaced by junior Eddie Medina. Medina pitched 2.1 innings of scoreless ball before giving way to junior lefthander Kevin Kilpatrick. Kilpatrick shutdown the Buckeyes in the eighth, ninth, and tenth innings, but an eleventh inning rally left Kilpatrick (0-1) with the loss. Josh Dezse (1-0), who started the game at DH and went 3-for-5 with an RBI, came in to pitch the final two innings for Ohio State and earned the win. Greg Greve made the start for the Buckeyes, giving up all seven of the Red Storm’s runs in 4.0 innings of work. 3B Matt Streng scored the winning run for Ohio State.
The Buckeyes put two men on in the first and appeared to have drawn first blood when Streng hit a solid line drive down the third base line, but O’Hare made a diving stab to his right to make the catch and get the Red Storm out of the jam.
O’Hare came through again in the top of the second with a line drive of his own. Baltz, who reached base on one of his three singles in the game, scored on the play and put the Johnnies on the board first.
The Buckeyes, however, answered right back with a run of their own in the bottom of the second on two extra base hits -- a double by Desze and a triple by catcher Greg Solomon.
Entering the third inning with a tie-ball game, St. John’s sent 11 men to the plate and exploded for a six-run inning. Kyle Richardson singled on a line drive down the right field line to lead off the inning and advanced to second on a Jimmy Brennan single to center field. Richardson was taken off the base paths when Matt Wessinger hit into a fielder’s choice, which moved Brennan over to second. Joe Panik’s subsequent single broke the tie, scoring Brennan and putting Wessinger in scoring position. Baltz kept the rally going with a bases-clearing triple, giving the Johnnies a three-run lead. Karmas followed up with a line drive to center field, driving in Baltz. An error by the catcher put Karmas on second. A walk by O’Hare and a beaning of Robert Case loaded the bases for the Johnnies. Richardson, who led off the inning with a single, came through with another base hit – this time a two-bagger. Karmas and O’Hare both scored, giving St. John’s a 7-1 lead.
Lobban held the Buckeyes in check again in the third inning, getting an out at home plate after O’Hare made a diving stop on a groundball and fired a throw home to Case, who made a spectacular block at home plate. Lobban was removed after recording his fourth strikeout of the day, which ended the fourth inning. Lobban yielded four hits and walked three batters in his 4.0 innings of work.
After being held scoreless in the fifth, the Red Strom brought in Cervone to pitch. Cervone struggled in his 2011 debut, throwing a wild pitch and loading the bases before recording his first out-- a strikeout. A wild pitch brought in Ohio State’s second run and a sacrifice fly by Dezse brought in their third. Four consecutive singles and a wild pitch plated three more runs for the Buckeyes, bringing the score to 7-6 in the Red Storm’s favor. With men on first and third, Cervone was subsequently relieved by Medina. Medina was able to retire the side, but not before allowing a game-tying single to Tyler Engle.
Following a 1-2-3 sixth inning, St. John’s threatened to score in the seventh when Baltz got on base with his fourth hit of the day and Karmas reached after getting hit by the pitch. With Baltz in scoring position, O’Hare hit a hard line drive up the middle, but was robbed by the shortstop, who stepped on second base to force out Baltz for an inning ending double play.
After pitching 2.1 innings without giving up an earned run, Medina gave way to Kilpatrick. The Buckeyes were shut down by Kilpatrick, who gave up just one hit, struck out three, and allowed only one base runner to reach third in the eighth, ninth, and tenth innings. The Red Storm offense, however, struggled in those innings as well, going down 1-2-3 in each of them. Leading off the 11th with a walk, Kevin Grove was able to reach third base with a sacrifice bunt and by tagging up on a fly ball, but was stranded there when Brennan flied out to left field to end the inning.
Although Kilpatrick retired nine Buckeyes in a row, Streng and Dezse led off the bottom of the 11th with back-to-back singles, giving Ohio State men on first and second. Upon fielding a sacrifice bunt by Ryan Cypret, Kilpatrick fired to O’Hare at third base for the force out, but the throw was mishandled and ended up in left field, allowing Ohio State’s winning run to score.
St. John’s is set to take on Georgia Tech in a three game set in Atlanta beginning on Feb 25 at 4 pm.
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