St. John's University Athletics
St. John's University
Albany
St. John's Defeats Albany, 8-2, To Take Series
3/21/2010 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 21, 2010
QUEENS, N.Y. - Kyle Hansen allowed just two runs in 6.0 innings and Miguel Valcarcel connected on his first-career home run to give St. John's an 8-2 win and a series win against Albany. Valcarcel had a three-run home run and Greg Hopkins added a home run and two RBI to lead St. John's (11-6). Hansen (2-0) had four strikeouts and did not allow a run after the first inning. Brian Bullard had a home run and two RBI to pace Albany (1-12).
The Great Danes took a 2-0 lead in the first after Nolan Gaige opened the game with a single into right field. Bullard promptly followed with a two-run home run into the Albany bullpen in right field.
St. Johns answered in the bottom of the inning, however, as Hopkins homered to left field to make it a 2-1 game.
Joe Witkowski led off the third inning with a single and later came around to score on a Hopkins RBI groundout that tied the game at 2-2.
A leadoff single by Sean O'Hare opened up a two-run fourth inning for the Red Storm. O'Hare then stole second base and moved to third on a groundout before Scott Ferrara was plunked to set up runners on the corners. Christian Garcia (0-2) then threw to first base to keep Ferrara close, but the first baseman was not covering the bag and O'Hare trotted home and Ferrara moved to third on the error. Jimmy Parque then ripped an RBI single up the middle and St. John's led 4-2.
A home run by Valcarcel highlighted a three-run fifth inning that gave St. John's a 7-2 lead. Paul Karmas singled to leadoff the inning before Jeremy Baltz drew a walk. Baltz tagged up on a fly out to give St. John's runners on the corners before Valcarcel lifted a three-run blast to left field.
Having retired the final five batters he faced, Hansen was lifted after six innings of work and replaced by Stephen Rivera.
Baltz doubled to lead off the seventh as St. John's took an 8-2 lead. After Matt Wessinger moved Baltz to third with a sacrifice bunt, O'Hare lined an RBI single into right field.
Rivera remained in the game and worked 3.0 scoreless innings to earn his first-career save.
St. John's returns to action at home against Columbia at 3 p.m. on March 23.
Notes: St. John's was 4-for-4 in stolen base attempts ... the squad is 23-for-27 (85.2 percent) in steal attempts on the year ... Valcarcel is now 5-for-10 with a home run and three RBI in his career at the plate ... Karmas extended his current hitting streak to 11 games.
