St. John’s Sweeps Doubleheader at FDU Behind Strong Pitching

Tuesday, April 23

Hackensack, N.J. (FDU Softball Field)

1 p.m.

St. John's University

24-23

FDU

16-26

St. John's (N.Y.)

FDU

St. John’s Sweeps Doubleheader at FDU Behind Strong Pitching

4/23/2024 5:12:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Box Score (Game 1)Box Score (Game 2)

The Red Storm shutout the Knights in game one, 1-0, before taking game two, 3-2

HACKENSACK, N.J. – The St. John's softball team (25-23, 12-9) swept both games of a doubleheader at FDU (16-27, 5-13) on Tuesday afternoon.

The Red Storm took a late lead in game one to shutout the Knights, 1-0, before taking game two, 3-2. The Johnnies now extend their winning streak to four games behind a pair of strong pitching performances that combined for 23 total strikeouts on the afternoon.

In game one, Loreley Francia was flawless inside of the circle, allowing just three hits while striking out 10 batters in her third shutout of the year. The 10-strikeout performance marked Francia's fourth game this season recording double-digit punchouts. The sophomore now has a 2.83 ERA and 131 strikeouts in 114.2 innings of work.

Game two starter Ana Serafinko notched 13 punchouts while allowing just two runs (one earned) on six hits. The Chino Hills, Calif., product has now lowered her team-best ERA to 2.58 in 105.2 innings of work this season. Serafinko also did damage from the dish, tallying a single and double in game one before bringing home the first run of the latter contest on a sacrifice fly. The two-way standout now has five doubles and 13 RBIs in 2024.

Sydney Totarsky helped the Red Storm secure the game-one victory, driving in the lone run on an RBI single in the sixth inning. The sophomore is now up to 12 RBIs on the season.

Freshman London Slade received a start in the outfield in game two and made the most of it, going 2-for-2 from the dish with a walk. Slade also scored two runs and swiped the second base of her career in the contest.

Game 1

In the opening game, Serafinko provided the Red Storm with an early scoring opportunity, scorching a double off the right-field wall to put runners on second and third after London Jarrard was hit by a pitch to lead off the contest. However, FDU's Brooklyn Shroyer left the inning unscathed, recording the final two outs, 0-0.

Game one starter Francia dominated out of the gate. The right-hander sat down the Knight's lineup in order the first time through with five punchouts to keep the game scoreless after three innings of play, 0-0.

FDU notched its first base runner in the bottom of the fourth with an Isabella Herring infield single to third base. Herring then swiped second and advanced to third on a passed ball to provide the Knights with a prime opportunity to score. Francia remained unphased, striking out her sixth batter and popping up the last out to keep the game knotted, 0-0.

Andreya Flores led off the bottom of the fifth with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt to give the Knights another scoring chance. In the circle, Francia continued to navigate her way around jams, recording back-to-back strikeouts to keep the game even at 0-0.

The Red Storm finally cracked the scoreboard in the top of the sixth. Serafinko and Amy Mallah were both hit by a pitch to start the frame before Melanie Santos walked to load the bases. Totarsky then lined a single into left field to provide the Johnnies with its first lead, 1-0. The Knights limited St. John's to just the one run with Shroyer recording three straight punchouts to end the threat.

Francia continued her flawless performance in the final two innings, completing the shutout win while recording her tenth strikeout of the ballgame to give St. John's the 1-0 victory in game one.

Game 2

Serafinko started game two inside the circle where Francia left off, striking out the side to keep the game scoreless after the first inning, 0-0.

The Knights put up their first run of the day in the home half of the second on a Finley Caringer RBI single up the middle, 1-0. After another base hit to put two on, Serafinko limited the damage by recording the final out to keep FDU's lead to just one.

St. John's responded in the top of the third when Slade and Jarrard each singled to start the frame before Cassidy Stouffer walked, loading the bases. Serafinko then stepped into the box and hit a sacrifice fly into center field, bringing home Slade to knot the game, 1-1. With runners on the corners, Stouffer executed the double steal play to perfection, forcing an errant throw that allowed Jarrard to cross home and provide the Red Storm with the 2-1 advantage.

In the bottom of the third and fourth, Serafinko settled back in, punching out a pair of batters in each of the half innings to bring her total to seven strikeouts and keep St. John's up 2-1.

Slade helped the Johnnies tack on another in the top of the fifth, drawing a one-out walk and then swiping second before Jarrard reached on a ball that got by FDU's first baseman, allowing Slade to score and extend St. John's lead to 3-1.

Serafinko carried the momentum the offense provided into the circle, making quick work of the Knights by striking out the side to reach 10 strikeouts in the bottom of the fifth, 3-1.

After a scoreless top half, FDU cut into the Red Storm's advantage in the bottom of the sixth with a Herring RBI base hit into right field, 3-2.

The Red Storm closed the door on the Knights in the bottom of the seventh behind Serafinko striking out a pair to win game two, 3-2, and sweep the doubleheader.

St. John's will resume play when it returns home for its final BIG EAST regular season series against Seton Hall. The three-game set is scheduled to begin on Friday at 2 p.m. from Red Storm Field.