St. John’s Drops Series Opener at San Diego, 9-3

Friday, March 1

San Diego, Calif. (Fowler Park)

9 p.m.

St. John's University

1-5

University of San Diego

7-3

St. John's

San Diego

3/1/2019 11:59:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Mitchell Henshaw recorded his third multi-hit game of the season

By: Andrew O'Connell

Leading 3-2 after five and a half innings, St. John's saw the University of San Diego score seven unanswered runs en route to a 9-3 victory at Fowler Park on Friday evening.

Mitchell Henshaw registered his third multi-hit game in just six tries this season, going 2-for-4 with an RBI. Brandon Bossard drove in the other two runs for St. John's, blasting a two-run shot to left in the top of the second. Ryan Markey set the table for Bossard's home run by recording his second extra-base hit in as many games, a two-bagger down the left field line.

Sean McGeehan and Colin Wetterau also tallied base knocks. Carson Bartels drew three walks in his first appearance in the leadoff spot while Mike Antico reached base on balls twice.

Despite working his way out of an inherited bases-loaded, one-out jam in the fourth, Ben Greenberg was tagged with the loss in his first St. John's decision.

After stranding a St. John's runner at third in the top of the first, San Diego loaded the bases with no outs in the home half before using a pair of sac flies to push across two runs and take an early lead.

The Red Storm responded in the ensuing frame, as Markey laced a one-out double down the left field line before Bossard launched a ball over the left field fence, registering his first round-tripper as a Johnnie and tying the game at two.

After Joe LaSorsa worked his way out of a jam in the bottom of the second, the Red Storm struck again in the top of the third. Following a Bartels walk and a McGeehan single to make it first and second with one out, Henshaw ripped a base hit up the middle to score Bartels from second and give the Johnnies a 3-2 lead.

The Toreros loaded the bases with one out in the fourth and the Red Storm turned to Greenberg to get out of the jam. The Fordham transfer played the role of escape artist, recording a strikeout before working a pop-out to shallow right and preserving the St. John's lead at 3-2.

The Red Storm held onto that one-run advantage until the bottom of the sixth when San Diego pushed across two runs on three hits off three different St. John's pitchers to reclaim the lead, 4-3.

San Diego would add onto its newfound edge in the following frame, tacking on three more runs in the bottom of the seventh to move ahead by four, 7-3. The Toreros added on two more in the eighth.

The Red Storm and the Toreros will resume their series on Sunday at 5 p.m. ET before closing out their set on Monday at 8 p.m. ET.