St. John's University Athletics
Bravo, DeRosa Lead St. Johns Bats Past Iona, 13-9
4/24/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Red Storm junior Anthony DeRosa (Salem, N.H.) went 3-for-3, with four runs scored, two doubles, a triple and four RBI, while classmate Jesus Bravo (San Jose, Calif.) went 2-for-3 with a double, single and three RBI to lead St. Johns.
Trailing 9-7 in the sixth, junior Derek Sullivan (Lincoln, Calif.) struck out but reached on a passed ball and DeRosa walked before a Ray Downs (New Rochelle, N.Y.) single narrowed the gap to one run. DeRosa scored on a passed ball and, after Bravo was hit by a pitch, sophomore catcher Marc Wagner (Philadelphia, Pa.) blooped a single to right, scoring Downs with what proved to be the decisive run.
St. Johns added three more runs in the seventh, extending the lead to four runs, 13-9. DeRosa hit a two-out triple to center and, after a walk to Downs, scored when freshman Greg Thomson (Levittown, N.Y.) singled to right. Bravo followed with a double to right, scoring Downs and Thomson. Senior Tom Klemm (Salem, N.H.) was the winner for St. Johns, throwing two innings of one-hit ball and striking out two batters as he improved to 3-2 this season. Senior Mike Tamulionis (West Bridgewater, Mass.) threw the final two innings, striking out four batters, to seal the win.
The Red Storm appeared headed for their fourth home loss of the season when they hit Iona reliever Dustin Prevette for four runs in the fifth. Junior Mike Rozema (Fair Lawn, N.J.) hit a one-out single and moved to third when sophomore Blake Hershelman (Georgetown, Del.) singled. A double from DeRosa drove in both runners, cutting the lead to 9-5. DeRosa, who moved to third on a throwing error, scored on Thomsons sacrifice fly, and sophomore Brett Hardie (Toms River, N.J.) narrowed the gap to two runs with a single to right, scoring Downs, who had reached on a walk.
The Gaels had jumped on top with three runs in the first inning. SJU junior starter Joe Reid (Rutherford, N.J.) loaded the bases with none out after hitting Kevin Sorhaindo and giving up singles to Mark Zettl and Travis Garcia. Rob Fortner followed with a single through the right side, scoring two runs, and Garcia eventually scored on a wild pitch, giving the visitors a 3-0 lead.
They added three more in the second off sophomore starter Jim Wladyka (Rutherford, N.J.), who loaded the bases with one out after walks to Ryan Bucci and Steve Sallustio and hitting Zettl. Garcia singled through the left side, scoring two runs, and Fortner singled to right, driving in the sixth run.
St. Johns had the bases loaded with none out in the second, and junior Jesus Bravo (San Jose, Calif.) drove in one with a sacrifice fly, but could not manage more. In the third, St. Johns cut the lead in half when junior Anthony DeRosa (Salem, N.H.) drilled a double to right, scoring senior Billy Graiser (Muttontown, N.Y.), who walked, and sophomore Jim Martin (Norwood, Mass.), who reached on an error.
The Gaels added a run in the fourth on Garcias sacrifice fly and added two more in the fifth when Sallustio hit an RBI single and Jason Motte scored on a wild pitch from freshman Craig Hansen (Glen Cove, N.Y.).
Garcia and Fortner each had two hits and drove in three runs for the Gaels.
NOTES: Rozema extended a hitting streak to 21 games with single Senior catcher Asa Grunenwald (Boalsburg, Pa.), who dislocated his left shoulder on April 4, was a defensive replacement in the ninth inning.
St. Johns returns to action on Friday, hosting St. Francis (N.Y.) in a non-league game at The Ballpark at 3 p.m.
