Villanova Clips St. John’s, 3-1, in Sunday Series Finale

Sunday, April 25

Queens, N.Y. (Red Storm Field)

12 p.m.

St. John's University

9-17, 0

Villanova

26-10, 0

Villanova

St. John's

Villanova Clips St. John’s, 3-1, in Sunday Series Finale

4/25/2021 3:56:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Wildcats use fifth inning rally to sweep series from Red Storm

By: Kenny Conrade

QUEENS, N.Y. – The St. John's softball team fell on Sunday afternoon to Villanova, 3-1, as the Wildcats swept the BIG EAST series in Queens.

The Red Storm (9-17, 6-12 BIG EAST) struck first against the Wildcats (26-10, 10-1 BIG EAST), but Villanova rallied behind a run in the third and two in the fifth to sweep the final BIG EAST home series of the season from the Johnnies.

Villanova starter and BIG EAST Pitcher of the Year favorite Paige Rauch stifled the Red Storm bats all afternoon, as she allowed just four hits and struck out six while pitching a complete game and earning her second win of the weekend. Gretchen Bowie, Marissa Rizzi, Kaitlin Mattera and Gabriella Conca each had hits for the Johnnies in what was their final BIG EAST games at Red Storm Field. Elyse Morris' play in center field was a highlight all afternoon, as she recorded two outfield assists.

Erin Brown got the start for the Red Storm and surrendered a few first inning hits, but a great throw from Morris in center to gun down a runner at third ended the threat, keeping things scoreless. In the bottom half of the inning, Bowie singled and swiped second before a Mattera single sent her to third. With two outs, a passed ball allowed Bowie to take home, giving the Red Storm the 1-0 advantage after an inning of play.

Two Wildcats reached base in the second, but Brown danced out of trouble with consecutive groundouts to end the threat before Rauch struck out the side in the home half of the inning. The third inning started off with one of three Red Storm errors on the day, as Rauch then delivered an RBI single to even the score at one after three.

After a fly out to begin the fourth, Villanova catcher Ryan Henry stung one back up the middle that went off the foot of Brown in the circle and forced her to leave the game, as Angela Saric (1-4) would enter the contest for the Red Storm. Saric got a line out and fly out to end the frame, and the Johnnies couldn't score in the home half, as things were all knotted at one headed to the fifth inning.

Villanova did its damage in the fifth against Saric, who allowed just three hits in relief, as a leadoff single from Rauch followed by two hits with two outs plated two runs for the Wildcats, who grabbed a 3-1 lead. Villanova could have added more insurance, but an incredible throw home by Morris to get a potential fourth run cut down at the plate ended the inning.

The Johnnies would go down in order in the bottom of the fifth, as would Villanova in the top of the sixth. In the home half of the frame, Rizzi led things off with a double and moved to third on a groundout from Peyton Cody. Kalei Sorensen was hit by a pitch and with first and third and two outs, Rauch was able to work out of the jam, getting Conca to ground out to third base.

Saric worked a scoreless seventh and Amelia Ditolvo was hit by a pitch to begin the Red Storm's last chance at the plate. With nobody out, Morris stung one to center field that was caught, and Rauch was able to retire the next two hitters in order to earn her conference-best 15^th win of the season in a 3-1 final.

Next up, the Red Storm will take on Connecticut next weekend in Storrs in its final BIG EAST series of 2021. Games one and two will be played as a doubleheader beginning Saturday at noon, followed by a single game on Sunday which is also slated for 12 p.m.