St. John's University Athletics
St. John's University
Rice
St. John's Defeated By No. 5 Rice, 11-2
5/31/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 31, 2008
HOUSTON, Texas - The St. John's baseball team was defeated by No. 5 Rice, 11-2, after the Owls used a seven-run seventh to open up the game. Brian Kemp was 2-for-4, while Jeff Grantham and Carlos Del Rosario had an RBI apiece for St. John's (42-15). Pitching for the first time since May 17, Red storm lefty George Brown (9-1) allowed three runs in 4.0 innings of work. J.P. Padron was 3-for-5 with five RBI to lead Rice (44-13), while reliever Cole St. Clair (9-2) earned the win after 4.1 scoreless innings.
Rice threatened in the top of the first as four batters reached base, but Brown kept the Owls off of the board. After allowing a lead off walk to Jared Gayhart, Brown caught Gayhart attempting to steal. After a groundout, Rice loaded the bases with consecutive walks and a single. Brown though induced a ground ball towards third and third baseman Greg Hopkins made a diving grab and got the force out at second to end the inning.
In the top of the second, though, Rice took the early 1-0 lead. After a lead off single, the Red Storm erased the lead runner with a fielder's choice. After a hit batsman, Brown induced a grounder to short as St. John's once again erased the lead runner. The throw to first pulled first baseman Tim Morris off the bag, however, as Rice avoided the double play. J.P. Padron then singled through the left side to give Rice the 1-0 lead.
Greg Hopkins led off the bottom of the third with a double into right center field. Gino Matias then laid down a perfect bunt past the pitcher and reached for an infield single as Hopkins moved to third. After a strikeout, Brian Kemp laid down a bunt as Hopkins broke for home and Rice first baseman Padron threw home to get the force. Jeff Grantham followed by lining an RBI single into right field to plate Matias and tie the score at 1-1.
In the fifth, Brown plunked Padron to lead off the inning. Rick Hague then lined a ball down the third base line that took a carom off the wall and past left fielder Carlos Del Rosario for an RBI triple. After a walk to Aaron Luna, St. John's went to the bullpen and brought in Miguel Valcarcel. Adam Zornes then sent a fly ball into left field and Del Rosario made the catch and fired to home plate to gun down Hague for a double play. Jimmy Comerota then singled through the right side to put Rice up 3-1, but was thrown out at second base.
With one out in the fifth, Tim Morris singled to right center and Kemp followed with a single up the middle. After Grantham walked to load the bases, Del Rosario plated Morris with a sacrifice fly to make it a 3-2 game. Rice then went to the bullpen and brought in Cole St. Clair, who induced a fielder's choice to end the inning.
Valcarcel allowed a walk and a single to lead off the sixth before recording an out as Rice moved both runners up with a sacrifice bunt. Valcarcel then walked Gayhart to load the bases before allowing a three RBI double to Padron. Luna walked to load the bases and St. John's brought in Nick Cenatiempo. Rice took an 8-2 lead after a ground-rule double by Zornes. Comerota then singled to bring in two more runs before Cenatiempo got a fly out and a strikeout to end the frame.
Cenatiempo would retire four in a row before Padron added a solo home run in the seventh inning. The reliever then struck out three straight and eventually retired five in a row before allowing a one-out single in the ninth.
The Red Storm will face Texas at 2 p.m. on Sunday, June 1 in an elimination game.
