St. John's University Athletics
St. John's University
Long Island
St. John's Rallies Past LIU, 7-6
3/31/2010 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 31, 2010
QUEENS, N.Y. - The St. John's baseball team rallied back from a 3-0 deficit in the first inning to defeat LIU, 7-6. Scott Ferrara and Jimmy Brennan had two RBI apiece to lead St. John's (13-9). Joe Panik, Jeremy Baltz and Matt Wessinger each added an RBI for the Red Storm. Tyler Jones was 3-for-5 with an RBI, while Derek Stupski added two RBI for LIU (2-17).
LIU got on the board with three runs in the first inning on four singles. Gerard Tingos singled through the right side to lead off the game before Jones and Drew Walsh followed with back-to-back bloop singles to load the bases with one out. Stupski then plated two runs with a two-out single into left field before Julian Castro drew a bases-loaded walk and LIU led 3-0.
St. John's took a 4-3 lead with a four-run fourth inning. After Panik singled through the right side, Baltz singled through the left side and Paul Karmas walked to load the bases. After Brennan and Wessinger each reached on an RBI fielder's choice, Joe Witkowski singled and Ferrara plated two runs with a triple to the wall in left field.
After issuing a lead off walk in the second, Red Storm starter Brendan Lobban settled down to retire six-straight batters. Lobban went on to retire seven of the final nine Blackbirds he faced before being lifted in favor of Eddie Medina (2-0) to open the fifth inning.
After being blanked for five innings, LIU came back to retake a 5-4 lead in the seventh. Sam Sciamarelli led off with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. After an Albert Faz single set up runners on first and third, Jones lined an RBI single into right field and Tito Marrero added an RBI double inside the third base line.
St. John's responded to retake the lead with three runs in the bottom of the seventh. Witkowski greeted reliever Joe Murphy with a bunt single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. A Jimmy Parque single and a walk to Greg Hopkins loaded the bases and chased Murphy from the game. Paul Lopez entered and walked Panik to force in a run to tie the game and LIU went to the bullpen again. Baltz and Brennan each followed with bases loaded walks as St. John's went ahead 7-5.
After retiring the first two batters in the eighth, Medina was chased after loading the bases with a walk and two singles. Ryan Cole entered and allowed a run to score on a wild pitch, but also ended the inning with a strikeout.
Daniel Burawa relieved Cole and tossed 0.2 innings to earn his third save.
St. John's hosts Seton Hall for a noon double-header on April 1.
Notes: Karmas extended his hitting-streak to 13 games ... Witkowski recorded a caught stealing and a pick off ... the catcher has thrown out 10-of-20 attempted base stealers this season ... St. John's improved to 5-0 in one-run games.
