St. John's University Athletics
St. John's University
Albany
Karmas Leads St. John's Past Albany, 18-8
3/20/2010 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 20, 2010
QUEENS, N.Y. - Eight players registered multi-hit games and Paul Karmas had seven RBI to lead St. John's to an 18-8 victory against Albany. Greg Hopkins had four RBI, while Jeremy Baltz finished with three RBI for St. John's (10-6). Bruce Kern (3-1) allowed five runs, four earned, and had seven strikeouts in 5.0 innings to earn the win. Brian Bullard was 4-for-5 with five RBI to lead Albany (1-11).
Brendan Rowland drew a two-out walk as Albany took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Rowland stole second before coming around to score on a fielding error.
In the bottom of the first, Scott Ferrara walked before a Jimmy Parque single quickly set up runners on first and third with no outs. Karmas then launched a three-run blast to left field.
The Red Storm added five more runs in the second to go up 8-1. Sean O'Hare singled to lead off the frame and Miguel Valcarcel lined a single into right center to give St. John's runners on the corners. Following a Josh Daniel RBI single into left field, Ferrara loaded the bases with a bunt single. After a two-run single by Hopkins with one out, Baltz grounded a two-run single inside the third base bag with two outs.
Albany quickly bounced back with four runs in the fourth. After walking the leadoff man, Kern retired the next two batters before another walk. Nolan Gaige then beat out an infield single and Bullard followed with a grand slam to make it an 8-5 game.
After a lead off single by Parque in the fourth, Hopkins sent the first pitch of his at-bat over the scoreboard in left center to give St. John's a 10-5 lead.
St. John's extended its lead to 15-5 with a five-run fifth inning. Three-straight singles by O'Hare, Valcarcel and Daniel loaded the bases with no outs before Ferrara was plunked to force in a run. After the next two batters were retired, Karmas grounded a single through the right side to plate two runs. Baltz followed with an RBI single and Matt Wessinger added an RBI double before Albany went to the bullpen.
Ralph Keppler doubled off reliever Nick Cenatiempo with one out in the sixth and later scored on a Bullard RBI single. A two-run single by Rowland made the score 15-8.
A lead off walk to Valcarcel and a one-out walk to Ferrara opened up a three-run sixth for St. John's. Parque then lined an RBI single into center field before Karmas roped a two-run single down the left field line to chase reliever Travis Wilson from the game.
A walk, a double and another walk loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the seventh and chased Cenatiempo from the game. Sean Hagan entered and induced a 1-2-3 double play and added a strikeout to keep the Great Danes off the board.
St. John's concludes its series against Albany at 1 p.m. on March 21.
Notes: Valcarcel was 3-for-3 with two walks and three runs scored in his second-career start in the field ... Karmas has a 10-game hitting streak ... Parque had his team-leading 10th multi-hit game of the year ... Anthony Cervone pitched a scoreless ninth inning and has not allowed a hit in 6.0 innings this year.
