St. John’s Takes Series in 5-3 Victory over Richmond

Sunday, March 26

Queens, N.Y. (Kaiser Stadium)

Noon

St. John's University

15-7

Richmond

11-13

Richmond

St. John's

St. John’s Takes Series in 5-3 Victory over Richmond

3/26/2023 3:16:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Tate Ballestero registered the eventual game-winning two-run single in the seventh

QUEENS, N.Y. – The St. John's baseball team capitalized on a four-run seventh inning to defeat Richmond, 5-3, and take the weekend series on Sunday at Jack Kaiser Stadium.

Redshirt junior Tate Ballestero cashed in on his lone hit of the afternoon, driving in two runs on his eventual game-winning single. Aaron Mann posted a 2-for-4 day at the dish with a pair of tallies while Marty Higgins also added a pair of base knocks on the afternoon and a run scored.

Starter Tyler Roche made his first start since Feb. 20, 2022, after receiving Tommy John surgery last season, going two innings and allowing just one hit while throwing 16 of his 22 pitches for strikes. Louis Marinaro earned his first collegiate win with a decisive 1.1 innings of work, logging two strikeouts while surrendering just one run on two hits.

Following a scoreless two innings for both squads, the Spiders jumped out to a 1-0 lead on an RBI single in the third from Christian Beal.

The Red Storm was held off the base paths until a Kevin Michaels double to right-center in the fourth broke up Richmond starter Jeremy Neff's perfect game.

After Sonny Fauci worked himself out of trouble in the fifth by stranding two runners on base, Richmond returned the favor, getting out first and third jam with an inning-ending double play.

St. John's found themselves in trouble again with two runners on base in the sixth, but Aaron Mann saved the Red Storm from allowing both to score on a diving stop on the first-base line, beating the runner to the bag for the final out of the inning.

The Johnnies battled in the bottom of the seventh after back-to-back singles by Michaels and Mann. Following a pair of strikeouts and Paul Orbon taking a pitch in the helmet to load the bases, the Red Storm caught a break on a wild throw by Spiders' second baseman Jared Sprague-Lott, plating a pair of Johnnies and tying the game. Two batters later with the bases juiced, Ballestero smacked a two-run single to center and took a 4-2 advantage.

Richmond quickly pulled to within one, 4-3, on a solo shot by Sprague-Lott in the eighth, but St. John's retaliated just as fast with one run of their own on Jace Jeremiah's bases-loaded walk in the home half to take a two-score lead.

Closer Chuck Sanzio came on in the ninth and struck out two of the four batters he faced for his third save of the year.

St. John's will embark on a five-game road trip before starting conference play, beginning on Tuesday, March 28 against Fairfield. First pitch at Alumni Baseball Diamond is slated for 3 p.m.