No. 5 St. John's Downs Hofstra, 4-1

Saturday, April 1

Hempstead, N.Y. (University Field)

3:00 PM

St. John's University

20-2

Hofstra

7-17

St. John's

Hofstra

Michael Donadio went 3-for-5 with an RBI

4/1/2017 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

April 1, 2017

Final Stats | Box Score (PDF)

QUEENS, N.Y. - Led by yet another dominant freshman pitching performance, No. 5 St. John's registered its eighth-straight win and its 20th of the campaign, topping Hofstra, 4-1, at University Field.

The 2017 Red Storm became the second-fastest in program history to reach 20 wins, trailing only the 1981 squad that accomplished the feat in 21 games. This season marks the earliest in the calendar year that a Johnnies' team has reached 20 wins, as the 2008 Red Storm did so on April 2.

Making just the fourth start of his St. John's career, Sean Mooney delivered his fourth spectacular performance in as many tries. The freshman from Marmora, N.J., allowed one run on four hits in seven innings of work, striking out seven and walking one on 87 pitches, 68 of which were strikes.

Classmate Gavin Hollowell pitched the final two innings of the contest, surrendering only one hit and one walk in a pair of scoreless frames to register his second save of the campaign.

Michael Donadio led the way offensively for St. John's, as the senior left fielder went 3-for-5 with an RBI. Jesse Berardi also recorded a multi-hit game and an RBI, going 2-for-4 with a walk. With his pair of hits, the junior shortstop from Commack, N.Y., raised his batting average to .400 on the season. Josh Shaw also brought home a run on the afternoon for the Red Storm.

Hofstra struck first in the bottom of the second, as Vito Friscia hit a lead-off double to left center before moving to third on a sacrifice bunt and coming home on a Teddy Cillis groundout to first.

After Cillis, who pitched and hit for the Pride, faced just nine St. John's batters through his first three innings of work, the Red Storm broke through in the top of the fourth to take a 3-1 lead. John Valente led off the frame by reaching on a throwing error by the shortstop before moving over to third on a Donadio single to right. With runners on the corners, Berardi lined an infield single off the glove of the pitcher and toward the gap between third and short, a play that appeared as if it would simply tie the score at one. Instead of holding onto the ball, the third baseman sailed a throw deep into foul territory, allowing Berardi to take second and Donadio to come around and score. Berardi then advanced to third on a balk before heading home on a Shaw RBI groundout, a ball up the middle that was robbed of a hit by a diving snag from the shortstop. Gui Gingras and Troy Dixon would also reach base with singles before the end of the inning, but neither was able to come across after a pair of impressive grabs by the Hofstra outfielders.

The Johnnies brought home one more in the top of the fifth to move ahead 4-1, as Jamie Galazin led off the inning with a leadoff double down the right field line. Valente then moved him over to third on a sac bunt before Donadio knocked him in with a single to right.

St. John's threatened in the sixth, as Cillis walked the bases loaded with one out before handing the ball to Chris Weiss. The junior right hander then recorded an infield fly and a strikeout, exiting the inning unharmed.

The Red Storm and Pride will return to action tomorrow, scheduled for a 1 p.m. first pitch at Jack Kaiser Stadium.