St. John's University Athletics
Friday, February 16
Gainesville, Fla. (McKethan Field / Condron Ballpark)
6:30 p.m.
St. John's University
at
No. 2 Florida
St. John’s to Open 2024 Campaign at No. 2/2 Florida
2/15/2024 12:30:00 PM | Baseball
Live Stats - Game 1Live Stats - Game 2Live Stats - Game 3Watch – Game 1 (SEC Network+)Watch – Game 2 (SEC Network+)Watch – Game 3 (SEC Network+)Game Notes (PDF)2024 Record Book (PDF)
The Johnnies and Gators will square off on SEC Network+ this weekend
QUEENS, N.Y. – The St. John's baseball team will square off with 2023 NCAA Finalist No. 2/2 Florida as the Red Storm opens the 2024 campaign this weekend, beginning on Friday at 6:30 p.m. from Condron Family Ballpark.
Saturday's contest is slated for 4 p.m., followed by a 1 p.m. start on Sunday. All three contests will be streamed live on SEC Network+ and live stats will be made available on RedStormSports.com.
St. John's finished the 2023 season with a 28-25 record, earning victories in six of its final eight games, including a three-game winning streak following its sweep of Butler.
The Johnnies routed the Bulldogs, 24-5, in game one of the 2023 series finale behind a six-homer performance. Reliever Ben Adams also logged a career-high 5.1 shutout innings of work in relief, allowing just five hits and striking out three batters. In game two, sophomore Jackson Tucker hit for the cycle and propelled the Johnnies to a 7-5 victory. Infielder Anthony Brienza closed out the 2023 campaign with a four-RBI performance in a 14-4 triumph over the Bulldogs.
The Red Storm was one of the most effective offensive teams in the BIG EAST last season, ranking second with a .296 batting average, .401 on-base percentage, 112 doubles and 7.5 runs per game.
The Red Storm will turn to right-hander Xavier Kolhosser, who is coming off a dominant first season in Queens, for its 2024 season opener. The redshirt sophomore shined after having Tommy John surgery in 2022, dominating in nine starts last season and going 3-0 with a 2.56 ERA. He also struck out 30 batters in 31.2 innings of work.
Southpaw Joe Mascio, who earned the program's Howie Gershberg Award for the top pitcher in 2023, will return to his Saturday starting spot this weekend. Going 3-3 in 13 starts, the left-hander struck out 63 batters in 65.1 innings of work in 2023.
Sophomore Mario Pesca is expected to make a massive jump in his second season and will be slotted as the Sunday starter for the Red Storm. The Johnnies saw glimpses of his dominance towards the end of the 2023 slate as the sophomore hurler put forth six innings of shutout ball against Rutgers, forcing 11 groundouts and seven flyouts.
St. John's and Florida will square off for the just the second time in program history. The two teams met in the 1997 NCAA Atlantic Regional, seeing the Gators edge the Red Storm, 4-3. The Johnnies nearly completed the comeback in the ninth as Matt Galente scored on a passed ball to bring the Red Storm within one. St. John's had runners on first and second with one out, however, Florida's Josh Fogg worked out of trouble to give the Gators the win.
Florida is coming off a stellar 54-17 season that saw them reach the NCAA College World Series before falling short in the title game to eventual National Champion LSU.
The Gators led the nation with 146 home runs last season with Jac Caglianone smashing a Division I-leading 33 dingers in 2023. The No. 5 ranked prospect in the upcoming MLB Draft and Golden Spikes Preseason Watch List selection also sat fourth in the country with 90 RBIs a year ago.
The team from Gainesville also ranked top 10 in Division I with a .545 slugging percentage (7th) and 566 runs scored (8th). On the bump, the Gators logged eight shutouts (7th in NCAA) and 10.6 strikeouts per nine innings (9th).
Florida was picked to win the SEC East Division in the conference's Preseason Coaches' Poll. Caglianone, Cade Kurland, Colby Shelton and Brandon Neely all earned Preseason All-SEC First Team honors as well. Caglianone and Neely also earned preseason All-American status from Baseball America and National College Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA).
Saturday's contest is slated for 4 p.m., followed by a 1 p.m. start on Sunday. All three contests will be streamed live on SEC Network+ and live stats will be made available on RedStormSports.com.
St. John's finished the 2023 season with a 28-25 record, earning victories in six of its final eight games, including a three-game winning streak following its sweep of Butler.
The Johnnies routed the Bulldogs, 24-5, in game one of the 2023 series finale behind a six-homer performance. Reliever Ben Adams also logged a career-high 5.1 shutout innings of work in relief, allowing just five hits and striking out three batters. In game two, sophomore Jackson Tucker hit for the cycle and propelled the Johnnies to a 7-5 victory. Infielder Anthony Brienza closed out the 2023 campaign with a four-RBI performance in a 14-4 triumph over the Bulldogs.
The Red Storm was one of the most effective offensive teams in the BIG EAST last season, ranking second with a .296 batting average, .401 on-base percentage, 112 doubles and 7.5 runs per game.
The Red Storm will turn to right-hander Xavier Kolhosser, who is coming off a dominant first season in Queens, for its 2024 season opener. The redshirt sophomore shined after having Tommy John surgery in 2022, dominating in nine starts last season and going 3-0 with a 2.56 ERA. He also struck out 30 batters in 31.2 innings of work.
Southpaw Joe Mascio, who earned the program's Howie Gershberg Award for the top pitcher in 2023, will return to his Saturday starting spot this weekend. Going 3-3 in 13 starts, the left-hander struck out 63 batters in 65.1 innings of work in 2023.
Sophomore Mario Pesca is expected to make a massive jump in his second season and will be slotted as the Sunday starter for the Red Storm. The Johnnies saw glimpses of his dominance towards the end of the 2023 slate as the sophomore hurler put forth six innings of shutout ball against Rutgers, forcing 11 groundouts and seven flyouts.
St. John's and Florida will square off for the just the second time in program history. The two teams met in the 1997 NCAA Atlantic Regional, seeing the Gators edge the Red Storm, 4-3. The Johnnies nearly completed the comeback in the ninth as Matt Galente scored on a passed ball to bring the Red Storm within one. St. John's had runners on first and second with one out, however, Florida's Josh Fogg worked out of trouble to give the Gators the win.
Florida is coming off a stellar 54-17 season that saw them reach the NCAA College World Series before falling short in the title game to eventual National Champion LSU.
The Gators led the nation with 146 home runs last season with Jac Caglianone smashing a Division I-leading 33 dingers in 2023. The No. 5 ranked prospect in the upcoming MLB Draft and Golden Spikes Preseason Watch List selection also sat fourth in the country with 90 RBIs a year ago.
The team from Gainesville also ranked top 10 in Division I with a .545 slugging percentage (7th) and 566 runs scored (8th). On the bump, the Gators logged eight shutouts (7th in NCAA) and 10.6 strikeouts per nine innings (9th).
Florida was picked to win the SEC East Division in the conference's Preseason Coaches' Poll. Caglianone, Cade Kurland, Colby Shelton and Brandon Neely all earned Preseason All-SEC First Team honors as well. Caglianone and Neely also earned preseason All-American status from Baseball America and National College Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA).
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