St. John's University Athletics
St. Johns Baseball Sweeps Doubleheader from Georgetown
4/12/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
St. Johns improved to 16-15 overall and 6-3 in the BIG EAST, while Georgetown fell to 7-22 and 1-4 in the league.
With the game tied 4-4 in the opening game, junior Jesus Bravo (San Jose, Calif.) hammered a one-out double to right, moved to third on a wild pitch, remained there after a walk to senior Billy Graiser (Muttontown, N.Y.). Sophomore Brett Hardie (Toms River, N.J.) entered as a pinch-runner for Bravo and scored when junior Derek Sullivan (Lincoln, Calif.) singled to right, giving St. Johns a 5-4 lead. A walk to Anthony DeRosa (Salem, N.H.) loaded the bases for Rozema, whose hit a 1-0 pitch from Michael Halloran over the fence in left, giving the Red Storm a 9-4 lead.
The Hoyas would score one run in the bottom of the inning, but senior Mike Tamulionis (West Bridgewater, Mass.) struck out four batters in the final two innings to seal the win, as he improved to 1-1 this season.
St. Johns had taken an early lead with two runs in the top of the first inning. Sullivan hit a leadoff single, stole second and, after a walk to DeRosa, scored when freshman Eddie Schultz (Flemington, N.J.) singled through the left side, putting runners on the corners. Jim Martin grounded out to second, but DeRosa scored, giving the Red Storm a 2-0 lead.
Junior starter Joe Reid (Rutherford, N.J.) got into a pair of jams in the first two innings, loading the bases with one out both times, but was able to escape without giving up a run. Reid didnt give up a hit until the fifth, but the Hoyas loaded the bases and Michael Lombardis two-run single tied the game. A walk to Andrew Cleary loaded the bases again, but Reid induced a double play as the Hoyas took a 3-2 lead. Reliever Greg Holmes (Stony Brook, N.Y.) gave up an RBI single to Jim Supple, but got the final out of the inning with GU leading 4-2.
The Red Storm cut the lead to one run, 4-3, in the sixth when Rozema hit a leadoff single, moved to second on Schultzs single, to third on a sac bunt and scored when Blake Hershelman reached on a fielding error by Georgetown starter Kevin Field. Field induced a double play with the bases loaded to end the inning.
St. Johns tied the game in the top of the seventh when DeRosa hit a two-out single, scoring Sullivan, who was issued a two-out walk form Hoya reliever Steve Burns. Sullivan moved to second on a passed ball, and DeRosas liner to center drove in the tying run. The Red Storm would eventually load the bases, but Burns relieved Field and induced Martin to fly out.
The top four batters in the SJU lineup combined to go 10-for-15, with seven runs scored and six runs batted in. Rozema went 4-for-5 for the Red Storm, scoring two runs, hitting three singles and a grand slam home run, the first of his career. Sullivan went 2-for-4 with two singles, three runs scored and an RBI, DeRosa had two hits, two runs and one RBI and Schultz had two hits and one RBI.
In the nightcap, freshman Anthony Varvaro (Staten Island, N.Y.) went 6.2 innings, allowing one run on five hits, with two walks and five strikeouts as he improved to 3-3 this season. He allowed the leadoff batter to get on base in each of the first two innings, but got help from a pair of double plays each time.
Varvaro proceeded to retire the next nine batters before giving up a single to Timmy Jones in the sixth. Jones moved to second when Ron Cano walked and scored on a one-out double from Matt Carullo. Cano tried scoring from first, but Drew Jackson sent his relay throw to Bravo, whose throw to Marc Wagner was on time. Varvaro allowed a leadoff double in the seventh to Cleary, but retired the next two batters before being relieved by senior Tom Klemm (Salem, N.H.).
The Red Storm, meanwhile, gave Varvaro the runs he needed. In the third, Sullivan walked, moved to third on DeRosas single and scored when Rozema grounded out. They added a run in the fourth when Bravo hit a one-out home run over the 20-foot wall in centerfield (372 feet).
In the sixth, Rozema walked, stole second, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a throwing error, increasing the SJU lead to 3-0. Bravo followed with a two-out double to right and, after a walk to senior Billy Graiser (Muttontown, N.Y.), sophomore Jim Martin (Norwood, Mass.) delivered a single to left, scoring Bravo. Graiser eventually scored on a balk, giving St. Johns a 5-0 lead.
Klemm went 1.1 innings, striking out two batters, before making way for freshman Craig Hansen (Glen Cove, N.Y.), who struck out two in one inning.
Bravo went 2-for-4 with a home run, double, two runs scored and an RBI, while DeRosa and Rozema each had two hits.
St. Johns and Georgetown conclude their three-game series on Sunday at noon.
