St. John's University Athletics
Villanova Posts Walk-Off Win Against SJU, 3-2
4/1/2001 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Dave Pizzinis bases loaded single with two out in the ninth off of sophomore reliever Greg Holmes (Stony Brook, N.Y./Ward Melville) scored pinch-runner Greg Fater with the winning run, as the Wildcats walked off with a 3-2 win. The loss ends a five-game winning streak for St. Johns, who fall to 12-11 overall and 6-4 in the BIG EAST, finding themselves tied with for fourth place in the conference with West Virginia and Connecticut.
The series was originally scheduled for Philadelphia, but moved to St. Johns, where the Red Storm served as the visiting team, after Villanovas field was washed out.
After a pair of thrilling games on Saturday, Villanova freshman Dan Farino and St. Johns sophomore Tom Klemm (Salem, N.H./Salem) put on another great show Sunday, shutting both teams down through seven innings.
The scoreless tie was broken by Villanova in the bottom of the eighth inning. Klemm hit Chris Graziano with a pitch to lead off the inning. Graziano stole second and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt. Pizzini was intentionally walked by junior reliever Brian Dorsey (Smithtown, N.Y./Smithtown) and moved to second on a passed ball, putting runners on second and third. Holmes relieved Dorsey and Nick Piantek greeted him with a double down the left field line, scoring both runners and giving Villanova a 2-0 lead.
St. Johns had been handcuffed by Farino through the first eight innings, but got to the freshman in the ninth. Freshman shortstop Mike Rozema (Fair Lawn, N.J./Fair Lawn) reached second on an error and scored on an RBI single from junior centerfielder Charlie Bilezikjian (Staten Island, N.Y./Port Richmond). Bilezikjian moved to second on a bunt single from senior first baseman Chris Fallon (Bayonne, N.J./Bayonne) and the runners moved to second and third after a passed ball. Junior third baseman Jason Kane (Rutherford, N.J./Rutherford) was intentionally walked to load the bases and junior second baseman J.P. Cirigliano (Flushing, N.Y./St. Francis Prep) delivered an RBI single through the left side, scoring Bilezikjian with the tying run. With the bases loaded and one out, however, Villanova reliever Adrian Schau struck out the final two batters of the inning.
Pinch hitter Jason Petre hit a leadoff double in the ninth and moved to third on a sacrifice fly before two batters were intentionally walked. After recording the second out, Pizzini singled to center, scoring Fater with the winning run.
Klemm went seven innings, allowing one run on four hits, walking five and striking out four, in a no-decision. Holmes falls to 0-1 this season.
St. Johns plays at home on Tuesday, April 3 against St. Peters at 3 p.m.
