St. John’s Splits Day One of San Diego Classic

Friday, February 28

San Diego, Calif. (SDSU Softball Stadium)

2:30 p.m.

St. John's University

5-11

Long Beach State

9-8

Long Beach State

St. John's

2/28/2020 10:15:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Box Score vs. Long Beach State (PDF)Box Score vs. San Diego (PDF)

Red Storm downed Long Beach State before falling to San Diego

By: Dylan Smith

SAN DIEGO (Feb. 28, 2020) – The St. John's softball team turned a combined four double plays in its day one split of Long Beach State and San Diego at the San Diego Classic on Friday.

Game 1

The Johnnies picked up its first shutout of the season, a 2-0 victory over Long Beach State.

Freshman standout Erin Brown dominated in the circle, tossing her first career complete game shutout. The Thousand Oaks, Calif., native kept the Beach at bay on 87 pitches, while forcing 15 groundouts. Brown also struck out a pair of batters in game one.

Peyton Cody and Kalei Sorensen provided the Red Storm's offense, each registering a hit and an RBI against the Beach.

St. John's defense (5-12) helped Brown keep Long Beach State off the board throughout the contest. The Red Storm turned a 6-4-3 double play following the Beach's first hit of the game in the second inning. In the following frame, Cody launched a rocket down to second base to catch Long Beach State's runner trying to steal to end the top of the third.

The Beach threatened Brown and the scoreless tie in the top of the fourth, loading the bases with one out. However, the Johnnies' freshman ended the Beach's threat with an inning-ending 1-2-3 double play.

The momentum shifted in favor of the Red Storm in the bottom half of the fourth as the team put a two-spot on the board. Following a leadoff walk and stolen base by Gretchen Bowie, Cody laced a triple to the right-center gap for St. John's first run and hit of the day. In the next at-bat, Sorensen lined a single through the left side to extend the Red Storm's lead to two, 2-0.

Brown went on to retire nine of the last 11 batters, recording seven groundouts in the final three innings to secure her fourth win of the season.

Game 2

St. John's dropped game two to San Diego, 3-1, in the night cap.

Kamryn Tiumalu registered a 2-for-3 performance at the dish, while scoring the Red Storm's lone run. Sophomore Kaitlyn Lologo drove in Tiumalu with her only base knock of the contest. Kaitlin Mattera and Laura Delgado also recorded base hits against San Diego.

St. John's defense continued to shine in game two as Cody reeled in a popped up bunt attempt and doubled up the runner at first to keep the Toreros off the scoreboard in the bottom of the first.

After a scoreless second frame, the Red Storm broke through in the top of third inning. Tiumalu lined a double just out of the reach of San Diego's centerfielder, only to move to third on a bunt by Meisha Murray in the next at-bat. Lologo smacked single past the Toreros' shortstop into the left-center gap, bringing Tiumalu in and lifting the Red Storm to a 1-0 advantage.

Once again, timely defensive saved the Red Storm from allowing any runs in the bottom of the third. With two outs and runners on first and second, a short fly ball to right field was snagged by a diving Natalie Giroux to prevent San Diego from crossing the plate.

Following a blank fourth and fifth frame, San Diego tagged the Red Storm with three runs in the bottom half of the sixth to take a 3-1 lead before closing out the game.

St. John's will return to action on Saturday to take on San Jose State at 12:00 p.m. ET/9:00 a.m. PT, and San Diego State at 5:00 p.m. ET/2:00 p.m. PT inside the SDSU Softball Stadium.