St. John's University Athletics
Red Storm Baseball Sweeps Doubleheader from Villanova
3/25/2002 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
The Red Storm posted their third and fourth straight wins, respectively, and seventh in the last eight games as they improve to 8-9 overall and 2-0 in the BIG EAST.
After seeing a 2-0 lead vanish in the top of the seventh inning in the first game, the Red Storm won it with a walk-off two-run home run from sophomore Jeremy Winter (Cliffside Park, N.J.) in the bottom of the seventh inning, giving SJU a 4-2 win.
Freshman pitcher Jim Wladyka (Rutherford, N.J.) was impressive through the first six innings, allowing only two runners to reach scoring position and striking out three batters. In the seventh, he issued a one-out walk to Ryan Crammer and runners were on second and third after a double from Brian Newbold. Junior Tom Klemm (Salem, N.H.) relieved Wladyka and yielded a game-tying double to Brendan Mannix, but retired the next two batters to get out of the inning.
In the bottom of the seventh, senior Billy Graiser (Muttontown, N.Y.) walked and Winter followed with a blast that landed in the St. Johns bullpen, giving the Red Storm a thrilling win.
The Red Storm had taken a 1-0 lead in the fifth when senior J.P. Cirigliano (Flushing, N.Y.) scored on an error and extended the lead in the sixth when freshman first baseman Jim Martin (Norwood, Mass.) doubled to right-center, scoring senior Jason Kane (Rutherford, N.J.), who had singled.
Klemm picked up the win in the opener, improving to 2-2 this season. Wladyka went 6.1 innings, allowed two runs, both earned, on five hits. Junior Brian Slocum (1-1) took the loss for Villanova, allowing three runs, two earned, on six hits.
In the nightcap, the Red Storm scored a season-high 16 runs on 22 hits, highlighted by a seven-run fourth inning, and cruised to the 16-2 win. St. Johns received a strong pitching performance from senior Greg Holmes (Stony Brook, N.Y.), who went 7.1 innings and allowed only two runs, both unearned, on four hits, while striking out five batters.
The Red Storm took a 2-0 lead in the first when junior catcher Josh Young (Pittsford, N.Y.) scored on an error and junior right fielder Ray Downs (New Rochelle, N.Y.) doubled.
In the fourth, St. Johns scored seven runs on eight hits and took a 9-0 lead en route to the win.
Kane went 4-for-5 with a pair of doubles and two runs scored, while senior centerfielder Charlie Bilezikjian (Staten Island, N.Y.) drove in three runs with two singles and scored a run. Young went 3-for-4 with two singles, two runs scored and two RBI. Downs hit a double and single and drove in two runs, while freshman Brett Hardie (Toms River, N.J.) hit two singles and scored two runs and sophomore shortstop Mike Rozema (Fair Lawn, N.J.) hit a double, single, scored twice and drove in two runs.
The 22 hits were the most by a St. Johns team since they had 28 in a 23-2 win over Georgetown on March 27, 1999.
St. Johns and Villanova wrap up their three-game series on Sunday, with first pitch at The Ballpark at noon.
