St. John's University Athletics
Two-Run Eighth Lifts SJU Past Fairfield, 7-6
3/21/2002 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Trailing 6-5 in the top of the eighth, the Red Storm quickly tied the game when senior outfielder Billy Graiser (Muttontown, N.Y.) walked and stole second. Bilezikjian then hit a 1-0 pitch to left for a single, scoring Graiser and tying the game at 6-all. Bilezikjian stole second and with one out, freshman infielder Jim Martin (Norwood, Mass.) singled to left-center, giving the Red Storm a 7-6 lead.
Klemm entered the game in the seventh and retired the side in order, but got in trouble in the eighth, hitting leadoff hitter Greg Batista and walking Sal Mancuso. A sacrifice bunt put runners on second and third with one out, but Batista was picked off third on a throw from junior catcher Josh Young (Pittsford, N.Y.). Klemm struck out Ross Mehalko to end the threat.
The Red Storm had a chance for more of a cushion in the ninth, but could not push runs across. In the ninth, Mannese retired the side in order, striking out the final two batters for his first save of the season.
Fairfield jumped on top early, scoring two runs off senior starter Brian Dorsey (Smithtown, N.Y.), but the Red Storm bounced back with three runs in the third, with sophomore Anthony DeRosa (Salem, N.H.) driving in one on a single and senior third baseman Jason Kane (Rutherford, N.J.) sending in two.
The Stags took the lead back in the bottom of the fourth with a pair of runs off freshman Mike Holden (Suffern, N.Y.), but a throwing error and an RBI single from freshman second baseman Brett Hardie (Toms River, N.J.) gave the Red Storm a 5-4 lead.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Stags took a 6-5 lead with two runs off junior reliever Mike Tamulionis (West Bridgewater, Mass.).
Klemm threw 2.0 innings, walking one and striking out three, as he improved to 1-2. Junior outfielder Ray Downs (New Rochelle, N.Y.) went 4-for-5 to lead a 13-hit St. Johns attack, while junior first baseman Chad Cambra (Taunton, Mass.) hit three singles.
St. Johns opens BIG EAST play this weekend, hosting Villanova (11-6) in a three-game series. The teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday, beginning at noon.
