St. John's University Athletics
Princeton Stops St. Johns with Three-Run Sixth Inning
4/30/2002 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
The Red Storm had taken a 5-4 lead in the fifth with a pair of runs, but Lahey hit a 2-2 offering from SJU senior starter Charlie Bilezikjian (Staten Island, N.Y.) over the wall in center, estimated at 440 feet, to give the Tigers a 7-5 lead. The Red Storm would have chances, but Princeton freshman Matt Sullivan held the hosts in check, allowing two runs on five hits while striking out five batters in four innings.
Ryan Quillian picked up the win for the Tigers, improving to 2-4 this season, while Thomas Pauly retired the side in order for his ninth save.
The Tigers had taken a 1-0 lead in the first when Eric Fitzgerald singled, stole second and scored on a throwing error. The Red Storm, however, responded with two runs in the bottom of the second to take a 2-1 lead.
Junior Ray Downs (New Rochelle, N.Y.) hit a leadoff triple to center and scored on a sacrifice fly from freshman Blake Hershelman (Georgetown, Del.). A two-out double single up the middle from senior Billy Graiser (Muttontown, N.Y.) scored sophomore Mike Rozema (Fair Lawn, N.J.), who had doubled down the right field line, and gave SJU a 2-1 lead.
Princeton struck back in the top of the third inning with three runs, taking a 4-2 lead. Pat Boran and Fitzgerald were issued one-out walks from Bilezikjian and Jon Miller delivered them home with a two-run double down the left field line.
The Red Storm cut the lead to a run in the bottom of the fourth with a trio of singles, and then took a 5-4 lead in the fifth with a pair of runs. Downs hit a leadoff single moved to third on a single from junior Josh Young (Pittsford, N.Y.). After Young stole second, Rozemas sacrifice bunt scored Downs with the tying run. In the fifth, sophomore Anthony DeRosa (Salem, N.H.) singled, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on a single up the middle from freshman Jim Martin (Norwood, Mass.). Martin, who moved to second on a throwing error and to third on a Downs single, scored when Young singled up the middle, giving the Red Storm the lead.
Princeton, however, would take the lead for good with one swing of Tim Laheys bat. Bilezikjian surrendered a leadoff single to Adam Balkan and walked Miller before Lahey brought in what proved to be the decisive runs.
St. Johns is in action next on Tuesday, May 7, hosting LaSalle at The Ballpark.
