St. John’s Splits Final Home Doubleheader against Villanova

Saturday, April 27

Queens, N.Y.

12:00 p.m.

St. John's University

24-18, 0

Villanova

25-21, 0

Villanova

St. John's

St. John’s Splits Final Home Doubleheader against Villanova

4/27/2019 7:00:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Game One Box Score (PDF)Postgame Highlights (Game 1)Game Two Box Score (PDF)Watch on ESPN3 (Game 3)Live Stats (Game 3)

Gretchen Bowie broke out of nine-game RBI drought with a three-run homer

By: Dylan Smith

QUEENS, N.Y. (April 26, 2019) – The St. John's softball team split its doubleheader with Villanova at Red Storm Field, on Saturday. A three-run home run by Gretchen Bowie lifted the Johnnies, 8-3, and snapped her nine-game RBI drought in game one before the Wildcats stole the second matchup, 6-4.

Game One

            The heart of the Red Storm lineup composed of Bowie, Marissa Rizzi and Peyton Cody all recorded at least two hits in the opening contest. The trio combined for seven RBIs and five runs scored in the team's victory over Villanova (26-21, 7-6 BIG EAST). Senior Christina Melendez also registered two base knocks and an RBI.

            Madison Morris put forth a stellar effort in her 16th win of the season, shutting out Villanova in six of her seven innings of work. The Hampton, Va., native struck out five Wildcats on the afternoon, just three punchouts shy of 400 for her career.

            St. John's (24-19, 12-3 BIG EAST) nearly went through its lineup in the opening frame, scoring three runs on three hits. Following a leadoff walk to Kaitlyn Lologo and a Rizzi single, Cody extended her RBI total to 42 on a two-run double to right field, giving the Red Storm an early 2-0 lead. In the next at-bat, Melendez punched a single to center, scoring Cody from second and taking a 3-0 advantage.

            After a scoreless second frame, Villanova responded with a three-run third inning on a two-run shot by BIG EAST home run leader Paige Rauch and a solo homer by Delaney Switzer to tie the game.

            St. John's reclaimed the lead in the fourth frame on Bowie's seventh round-tripper of the season. The Sparta, N.J., native drilled a three-run shot to left-center, putting the contest out of reach, 6-3.

            The Johnnies increased its lead to five, 8-3, with a pair of runs in the sixth inning. Rizzi drove in her lone run after Bowie singled and stole second to take four-run advantage, 7-3. Cody drove in her third run in the following at-bat with a single to left field, posting the eighth and final run for the Red Storm.

Game Two

            Laura Delgado and Bowie shined for St. John's in game two, despite the team's loss to Villanova, 6-4.

            After a two-run opening frame by the Wildcats and back-to-back scoreless half innings, Delgado rocked a two-run homer to center field in the bottom of the second, tying the game at two apiece.

            Bowie drove in two more runs against Villanova's Sara Kennedy, totaling a team-high five RBIs on the afternoon. In the home half of the third frame, Lologo lined a single up the middle before reaching third on a throw into the first base dugout by Villanova's center fielder Sydney Hynes. Bowie singled up the middle in the following at-bat to take a 3-2 lead.

The reigning BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year produced the Red Storm's final run of the contest, hitting a sacrifice fly to left and extending the team's lead to two, 4-2, after five innings of play.

            Following a scoreless sixth frame, St. John's entered the seventh ahead of the Wildcats before surrendering four runs and dropping game two, 6-4.

            The Johnnies return to Red Storm Field on Sunday, April 28, at noon, for Senior Day. Following the rubber match, St. John's will honor its two seniors, Madison Morris and Christina Melendez.