St. John's University Athletics
St. John's University
Arkansas
Red Storm Baseball Drops Opener to Arkansas, 14-7
4/6/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Fayetteville, Ark. - Arkansas scored five runs in the fifth inning to break open a two-run game en route to a 14-7 win over St. Johns at Baum Stadium on Friday afternoon in the season opener for the Red Storm.
St. Johns falls to 0-1 this season, while the Razorbacks improve to 4-0.
Arkansas led 6-1after four innings, but a three-run fifth inning narrowed the gap to two runs. Junior second baseman P.J. Antoniato (Levittown, N.Y.) hit a sole home run to lead off the inning and back-to-back doubles from seniors Anthony DeRosa (Salem, N.H.) and Mike Rozema (Fair Lawn, N.J.) cut the lead to 6-3. Still in the fifth, sophomore Eddie Schultz (Flemington, N.J.) drove in Rozema with a double as the lead was cut to 6-4.
The Razorbacks, however, answered back with five runs in the bottom of the inning off of junior Jim Wladyka (Rutherford, N.J.) and freshman Matt Tosoni (Ontario, Canada), extending the lead to 11-4.
Clay Goodwin walked and moved to third after a single by Danny Hamblin. Brady Toops then hit a fly to left that just fell fair allowing Goodwin to score and Hamblin to move to third. Scott Hode then hit a sacrifice fly to center that plated Hamblin for an 8-4 Arkansas lead, sending Wladyka out. The Razorbacks made it 9-4 after Rowlett drove in Day with a bases loaded fielders choice. The lead was extended to 11-4 when Parkers fly to right hit in the glove and came out of the right fielder allowing two more runs to score.
The Red Storm managed to cut the lead to four runs, 11-7, with three runs in the seventh. With two out, Rozema reached on a bunt single, moved to second when Schultz walked and to third on a wild pitch. A single through the left side from junior Blake Hershelman (Georgetown, Del.) scored Rozema, and singles from sophomore Greg Thomson (Levittown, N.Y.) and freshman Chris Joachim (Massapequa, N.Y.) drove in the final two runs.
Arkansas scored three more runs in the bottom of the inning to extend the lead to 14-7.
Senior Geno Orsogna (Norfolk, Mass.) took the loss for St. Johns after giving up six runs, four earned, on seven hits in three and one-third innings of work.
Goodwin put the Razorbacks on the scoreboard in the first inning with a two-out home run that came with two aboard. St. Johns made it a 3-1 game when Thomson was hit by a pitch and scored on a triple to left by Joachim.
The Hogs worked out of a bases loaded jam in the fourth. The Red Storm took advantage of throwing error on Brady Toops to put two on with one out. Joachim then walked to load the bases. Sawatski struck out Drew Jackson (Morgantown, W. Va.) looking, then Toops picked off Joachim at first to end the inning without a run crossing the plate.
Joachim, Rozema, Hershelman and Antoniato each finished with two hits for the Red Storm.
The teams continue their series with a 1:05 p.m. ET game Saturday from Baum Stadium. Charley Boyce (1-0) is slated to take the mound for Arkansas.
