St. John's University Athletics
Bearcats Come Back To Top Red Storm, 7-5
5/19/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Cincinnati overcame a four-run deficit with four late runs and held off a St. John's rally in the ninth inning to hand the Red Storm a 7-5 loss on Friday night. St. John's fell for just the fourth time (34-4) when out-hitting its opponent and just the second time when taking a lead into the seventh inning (29-2), as the Bearcats guaranteed a series win with their second straight victory.
With the loss, St. John's fell to 36-17 overall and 15-10 in conference play, while Cincinnati improved to 32-23 overall and 13-13 in the BIG EAST.
Anthony Smith went 3-for-5 with a three-run home run and a run scored, and Sam DeLuca had two hits, a run scored and an RBI to lead the Red Storm offense. Smith, who had three hits for the third time in four games, continued a nine-game hot streak that has seen him hit .500 (17-for-34) with two home runs, 10 RBI and four runs scored.
With BIG EAST Championship play beginning on Tuesday, May 23, starting pitcher Rob Delaney left the game in the bottom of the third inning after throwing 38 pitches (24 strikes). Justin Muir (2.1 innings), Justin Gutsie (1.1 innings) and Rich Armento (1.2 innings) all pitched in relief of Delaney, with Gutsie picking up his first loss of the season after allowing three hits and three runs in 1.1 innings.
The teams traded runs in the bottom of the first and top of the second innings, as the Red Storm answered a Jack Nelson RBI single with a Chris Anninos sacrifice fly.
St. John's took its first lead of the series in the top of the fifth inning, scoring four runs and taking a 5-1 advantage. Anthony Smith delivered the big blow, connecting on a three-run home run over the right field wall. Sam DeLuca drove in Will Vogl, who led off the inning with a walk, and Chris Joachim was hit by a pitch to set up Smith's seventh homer of the season.
The Bearcats cut into the four-run lead in the bottom half of the inning, scoring two runs on a double by Logan Parker. A St. John's fielding error and a walk put runners on first and second for Parker, who lined a 2-0 pitch from Justin Muir into the right-center field gap to get Cincinnati within two runs at 5-3.
Cincy came all the way back in the seventh, scoring three more runs to take a 6-5 lead after seven complete innings. Second baseman Josh Harrison delivered a game-tying two-run single, and Nelson a sacrifice fly to give the Bearcats a one-run advantage.
An insurance run in the bottom of the eighth gave Cincinnati a two-run lead, and the Bearcats led 7-5 heading into the top of the ninth inning.
In the Red Storm ninth, Jeff Grantham singled and Sam DeLuca doubled with one out to put the tying runs in scoring position. With first base open, Cincinnati intentionally walked Joachim to load the bases and set up a lefty-vs.-lefty match-up and a potential game-ending double play. Smith hit the first pitch of his at-bat solidly up the middle, but the second baseman Harrison ranged to his right, fielded the ground ball and made a quick flip to the shortstop Adam Yeager, who finished the 4-6-3 double play.
The three-game series concludes on Saturday at 1 p.m., with freshman left-hander Scott Barnes (3-2, 3.79 ERA) scheduled to face Cincinnati left-hander Kyle Rapp (1-6, 4.09 ERA) in the probable pitching match-up.