St. John’s Splits Sunday Doubleheader with Western Carolina

Sunday, February 24

Cullowhee, N.C. (Childress Field at Hennon Stadium)

12 p.m.

St. John's University

1-3

Western Carolina

3-1

St. John's

Western Carolina

Sean Mooney (8) picked up the loss despite allowing just two runs in 5.2 innings

St. John’s Splits Sunday Doubleheader with Western Carolina

2/24/2019 7:03:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Game 1 Box Score (PDF)Game 2 Box Score (PDF)

Sean McGeehan hits three homers in two games in his Division I debut

By: Andrew O'Connell

CULLOWHEE, N.C.- After seeing the start of its series with Western Carolina delayed two days due to inclement weather, the St. John's Baseball team split a Sunday doubleheader with the Catamounts at Hennon Stadium. The Red Storm won the first game, 5-2, in seven innings before falling, 13-4, in the finale following an eight-run eighth inning for Western Carolina.

Making his first appearance as a member of the Red Storm, junior college transfer Sean McGeehan had a day to remember, going 4-for-6 with three home runs and four RBIs.

Game One Recap

With the score tied at two entering the fifth frame of a scheduled seven-inning game, St. John's pushed across three in the top of the fifth en route to a 5-2 win over Western Carolina.

Sean Mooney threw five innings of two-run ball, allowing five hits and a walk while punching out seven. After earning a no-decision in the team's season opener, the junior improved his career record to 20-5, becoming just the 11th hurler in school history to reach the 20-win plateau.

Joe LaSorsa pitched the final two innings for St. John's, picking up his first save of the season and the ninth of his career. The junior southpaw is now tied for eighth on the Red Storm's all-time saves list.

Making his St. John's debut, McGeehan launched a solo shot in his first at-bat as a member of the Red Storm. Mitchell Henshaw drove in two runs while Carson Bartels and Wyatt Mascarella also recorded RBIs in the opener. Brandon Miller logged a pair of base knocks for his first career multi-hit game.

The Johnnies pushed one across in the top of the first, as Bartels laced a one-out single before swiping second and coming home to score on a Henshaw base knock to right center two batters later.

The Red Storm added another tally in the top of the third, as McGeehan used his first Division I swing to send one over the wall in left center and put the Johnnies ahead 2-0 after two and a half.

Western Carolina got on the board in the bottom of the fourth, plating two runs on four hits to knot the game at two apiece.

With their lead gone, the Johnnies answered right back with three runs in the top of the fifth. The Red Storm needed just one hit to score those three runs, as Aguilar hit a one-out single before McGeehan and Mike Antico walked to load the bases. Bartels then reached base an RBI fielder's choice before a bases-loaded walk for Mascarella and Henshaw RBI grounder bumped the Red Storm's lead to 5-2 after four and a half.

Game Two

Trailing by one heading into the bottom of the eighth, St. John's saw Western Carolina tack on eight runs in the frame to secure a doubleheader split, 13-4, in the second game of Sunday's twin bill.

All four of the Red Storm's runs came via the long ball, as McGeehan launched homers two and three on the day and Henshaw hit his first as a Johnnie.

After Jeff Belge battled to work a scoreless home half of the first, the Johnnies responded with some offensive firepower in the ensuing frame. McGeehan started the inning with his second leadoff homer of the day, blasting one out to left and putting the Johnnies ahead 1-0. Following two-straight outs, Ryan Markey lined his first career extra-base hit, a triple, to left field, but he would not come home to score.

Western Carolina plated three runs to take its first lead of the day in the bottom of the third. A second solo homer, this time off the bat of Henshaw, cut the Johnnies' deficit to one the following frame, but the Catamounts responded with two more in the home half of the fourth to make it a 5-2 game heading into the fifth.

Following a scoreless fifth, McGeehan struck again for St. John's in the top of the sixth. With Henshaw on first following a single through the left side, the Mercer County Community College transfer launched his third round tripper of the day, bringing the Johnnies within one, 5-4, after five and a half.

Still trailing by one heading into the bottom of the eighth, St. John's surrendered eight runs in the inning, as Western Carolina took a 13-4 victory in game two.

The Red Storm returns to action on Friday afternoon, kicking off a seven-game California swing at the University of San Diego. First pitch is scheduled for 9 p.m. ET.