St. John's University Athletics
Wednesday, May 10
Storrs, CT (Burrill Family Field)
12 p.m.
St. John's University
23-27
9
vs
6
No. 5 Butler
18-34
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2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
St. John's
1
0
0
2
3
3
0
9
11
1
Butler
3
0
1
1
0
0
1
6
13
0
Photo by Clarus Multimedia
Back-to-Back Home Runs Bolster St. John’s to 9-6 Win Over No. 4 Butler in BIG EAST First Round
5/10/2023 3:53:00 PM | Softball
St. John's advances to play top-seeded UConn Thursday at noon
STORRS, Conn. – The fifth-seeded St. John's softball team blasted three home runs in the tournament's first upset against fourth-seeded Butler, 9-6, on Wednesday at Burrill Family Field.
Trailing 4-1, the Red Storm (23-27) outscored the Bulldogs 8-1 in the final four innings to secure its eighth BIG EAST Tournament win in program history and first since 2017 against Butler.
For the second straight game, Katie Whittaker and Peyton Cody hit back-to-back shots. Cody has been a part of all three back-to-back homers this season, and the last four in the program dating back to 2018.
Cody recorded a team-high three hits, her eighth multi-hit game and first with three-plus.
The heart of St. John's order, 1-2-3-4 hitters, went a combined 8-for-15, driving in seven Johnnies and scoring six times.
London Jarrard blasted her eighth four-bagger of the season with a three-run shot in the sixth inning for the second consecutive game. She was one of three Johnnies to notch a multi-hit game with Cody and Jess Bianco.
Bianco stole a pair of bags to increase her season total to 43, and was 2-for-3 with three runs scored.
Loreley Francia dealt in relief striking out seven Bulldogs in four and two-thirds innings. The freshman earned her sixth win on the year.
The Johnnies did not waste any time putting a run on the board in the top of the first. Bianco led off the game with a four-pitch walk and stole her 42nd bag of the season on a walk. Later in the inning with two outs, Bianco scored from second on Cody's slow-rolling infield single to shortstop. Bianco didn't slow down as she took a hard turn around third and slid into home to score the first run of the game.
The Bulldogs responded in the bottom half to retake the lead, 3-1. The Bulldogs loaded the bases on three consecutive singles. Mearns was able to force the cleanup hitter to pop out, but suffered a blow on a single by the Bulldogs fifth-hitter to knot the game at one. With two outs and the bases still full, Butler singled to the gap to plate a pair of runs and take a 3-1 lead after the first frame.
Butler tacked on another run in the bottom of the third. After the leadoff batter flew out, a single and back-to-back doubles scored the fourth run of the game. Francia entered the circle in lieu of starter Hannah Mearns and retired the final two Bulldogs of the frame.
Despite trailing 4-1, the Johnnies showed they were not done fighting yet. In the very next frame, the Red Storm pushed across a pair of runs to cut the deficit to 4-3. Cody started the charge with a lead-off double followed by an Anese Thompson walk. Natalie Casto laid down her seventh sacrifice bunt of the season to move the pair to second and third. Amy Mallah belted a double to right center to plate the duo cutting the margin to 4-3.
The Bulldogs widened the lead to 5-3 in the bottom half of the inning. After a single, BU scored a run on an errant throw to third on a stolen base attempt. Francia buckled down and forced a pair of groundouts to end the inning.
In the fifth, the Red Storm overcame the deficit and hit back-to-back home runs for the third time this season! Bianco led off the inning with a single and her second stolen base of the game. Whittaker followed with a two-run blast to tie the game at five. Three pitches later, Cody followed up Whittaker with a round-tripper of her own to give the Johnnies a 6-5 lead.
Jarrard broke the game wide open with a three-run shot in the sixth inning for the second consecutive game. Ana Serafinko and Bianco sliced a pair of singles with two outs to bring the shortstop to the plate. Jarrard blasted a 2-2 low pitch to right center to extend the Johnnies lead to 9-5. She hit a three-run homer in the sixth inning against the Bluejays on Sunday.
The Red Storm gave up a run in the bottom of the seventh as a hit batter with the bases loaded gave the Bulldogs hope. But, Francia battled and retired the nine-hole and lead-off hitter to send the Johnnies to Thursday.
St. John's will take on top-seeded UConn in the first game of the day at Burrill Family Field on Thursday at noon.
UConn enters the semifinals after a first-round bye. The Huskies won the regular season BIG EAST crown boasting a 19-5 conference record. Earlier in the week UConn's Grace Jenkins was named BIG EAST Freshman of the Year. Lexi Hastings and Payton Kinney were named to the first team and a pair earned second team honors.
Earlier this season the Huskies took all three from the Johnnies in Storrs, but by the narrowest margins. The Red Storm battled to pair of 2-1 games, and a 4-1 loss in the series finale.
First pitch against No. 1 UConn is set for 12 p.m. and will be streamed by BEDN.
Trailing 4-1, the Red Storm (23-27) outscored the Bulldogs 8-1 in the final four innings to secure its eighth BIG EAST Tournament win in program history and first since 2017 against Butler.
For the second straight game, Katie Whittaker and Peyton Cody hit back-to-back shots. Cody has been a part of all three back-to-back homers this season, and the last four in the program dating back to 2018.
Cody recorded a team-high three hits, her eighth multi-hit game and first with three-plus.
The heart of St. John's order, 1-2-3-4 hitters, went a combined 8-for-15, driving in seven Johnnies and scoring six times.
London Jarrard blasted her eighth four-bagger of the season with a three-run shot in the sixth inning for the second consecutive game. She was one of three Johnnies to notch a multi-hit game with Cody and Jess Bianco.
Bianco stole a pair of bags to increase her season total to 43, and was 2-for-3 with three runs scored.
Loreley Francia dealt in relief striking out seven Bulldogs in four and two-thirds innings. The freshman earned her sixth win on the year.
The Johnnies did not waste any time putting a run on the board in the top of the first. Bianco led off the game with a four-pitch walk and stole her 42nd bag of the season on a walk. Later in the inning with two outs, Bianco scored from second on Cody's slow-rolling infield single to shortstop. Bianco didn't slow down as she took a hard turn around third and slid into home to score the first run of the game.
The Bulldogs responded in the bottom half to retake the lead, 3-1. The Bulldogs loaded the bases on three consecutive singles. Mearns was able to force the cleanup hitter to pop out, but suffered a blow on a single by the Bulldogs fifth-hitter to knot the game at one. With two outs and the bases still full, Butler singled to the gap to plate a pair of runs and take a 3-1 lead after the first frame.
Butler tacked on another run in the bottom of the third. After the leadoff batter flew out, a single and back-to-back doubles scored the fourth run of the game. Francia entered the circle in lieu of starter Hannah Mearns and retired the final two Bulldogs of the frame.
Despite trailing 4-1, the Johnnies showed they were not done fighting yet. In the very next frame, the Red Storm pushed across a pair of runs to cut the deficit to 4-3. Cody started the charge with a lead-off double followed by an Anese Thompson walk. Natalie Casto laid down her seventh sacrifice bunt of the season to move the pair to second and third. Amy Mallah belted a double to right center to plate the duo cutting the margin to 4-3.
The Bulldogs widened the lead to 5-3 in the bottom half of the inning. After a single, BU scored a run on an errant throw to third on a stolen base attempt. Francia buckled down and forced a pair of groundouts to end the inning.
In the fifth, the Red Storm overcame the deficit and hit back-to-back home runs for the third time this season! Bianco led off the inning with a single and her second stolen base of the game. Whittaker followed with a two-run blast to tie the game at five. Three pitches later, Cody followed up Whittaker with a round-tripper of her own to give the Johnnies a 6-5 lead.
Jarrard broke the game wide open with a three-run shot in the sixth inning for the second consecutive game. Ana Serafinko and Bianco sliced a pair of singles with two outs to bring the shortstop to the plate. Jarrard blasted a 2-2 low pitch to right center to extend the Johnnies lead to 9-5. She hit a three-run homer in the sixth inning against the Bluejays on Sunday.
The Red Storm gave up a run in the bottom of the seventh as a hit batter with the bases loaded gave the Bulldogs hope. But, Francia battled and retired the nine-hole and lead-off hitter to send the Johnnies to Thursday.
St. John's will take on top-seeded UConn in the first game of the day at Burrill Family Field on Thursday at noon.
UConn enters the semifinals after a first-round bye. The Huskies won the regular season BIG EAST crown boasting a 19-5 conference record. Earlier in the week UConn's Grace Jenkins was named BIG EAST Freshman of the Year. Lexi Hastings and Payton Kinney were named to the first team and a pair earned second team honors.
Earlier this season the Huskies took all three from the Johnnies in Storrs, but by the narrowest margins. The Red Storm battled to pair of 2-1 games, and a 4-1 loss in the series finale.
First pitch against No. 1 UConn is set for 12 p.m. and will be streamed by BEDN.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Francia, Loreley (6-6)
L: GRIMAN, Mackenzie (6-8)
Batting:
2B: Jarrard, London 1 ; Cody, Peyton 1 ; Thompson, Anese 1 ; Mallah, Amy 1
HR: Jarrard, London 1 ; Whittaker, Katie 1 ; Cody, Peyton 1
RBI: Jarrard, London 3 ; Whittaker, Katie 2 ; Cody, Peyton 2 ; Mallah, Amy 2
SH: Casto, Natalie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Bianco, Jess 3 ; Jarrard, London 1 ; Whittaker, Katie 1 ; Cody, Peyton 1 ; Wallace, Madison 1 ; Thompson, Anese 1 ; Lysiak, Elanna 1
SB: Bianco, Jess 2
Batting:
2B: HOOSEN, Monique 1 ; WHITE, Ella 1
3B: WHITE, Ella 1
RBI: WHITE, Ella 2 ; MOXLEY, Olivia 2 ; BOYER, Ellie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: LEHNER, Cate 1 ; CARTER, Sydney 1 ; DORSETT, Paige 1 ; TODOR, Emily 1 ; WHITE, Ella 1 ; BOYER, Ellie 1
SB: BOYER, Ellie 1 ; GROSS, Kaylee 1
CS: WHITE, Ella 1
HBP: RYAN, Kieli 1 ; BOYER, Ellie 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
1
H
3
RBI
2
AB
3
R
3
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
3
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
SS/OF
/ Softball
UTIL
/ SoftballC/UTIL
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballUTIL
/ Softball
UTIL
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
C/1B
/ SoftballC/UT
/ SoftballSt. John's Softball Highlights at UConn 5.4
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