St. John's University Athletics
Friday, February 20
DeLand, Fla. (Patricia Wilson Field)
12 p.m.
St. John's University
10-1
3
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Columbia
0-5
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7
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H
E
Columbia
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6
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St. John's NY
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3
7
0
St. John’s Splits Friday Doubleheader to Open Stetson Invitational
2/20/2026 8:36:00 PM | Softball
The Red Storm shut out Columbia before falling to the Hatters
DELAND, Fla. — The St. John's softball team split its Friday doubleheader at Patricia Wilson Field, blanking Columbia, 3-0, before falling to Stetson, 7-1. The Red Storm moved to 10-2 on the year behind another complete-game shutout from senior pitcher Loreley Francia in the opener.
Francia scattered six hits and struck out six against the Lions (0-6, 0-0 Ivy League), while Jess Bianco reached base three times and scored twice to pace the offense. Natasha Limbani added an RBI in the first game and later provided the lone Red Storm run in Game 2 with a solo home run.
Stetson (10-3, 0-0 Atlantic Sun) used a five-run first inning to take control of the nightcap and hand the Johnnies (10-2, 0-0 BIG EAST) just their second loss of the season.
Game 1: St. John's 3, Columbia 0
St. John's opened the day with a 3-0 victory over Columbia behind a complete-game effort from Francia. The senior walked three and recorded six strikeouts in her fifth win of the year, stranding multiple runners over the first three innings before settling into a rhythm.
The Red Storm put up two runs in the bottom of the first. Bianco reached on an infield single, stole second and moved to third on a bunt single from London Slade.
Elanna Lysiak doubled down the left-field line to score Bianco, and Natasha Limbani followed with an infield RBI single to plate Slade for a 2-0 lead.
St. John's added an insurance run in the fifth when Bianco singled, advanced to third on a sacrifice and groundout, and scored on a fielding error. Francia closed the door by allowing just one baserunner over the final two frames.
Bianco finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored and a stolen base, while Lysiak and Limbani each drove in a run.
Game 2 : Stetson 7, St. John's 1
Stetson capitalized on a fast start to hand the Red Storm a 7-1 loss in the nightcap.
The Hatters jumped ahead with a five-run first inning, highlighted by a two-run double and a three-run home run. St. John's responded in the second when Limbani lifted a solo shot to left field to cut into the deficit, 5-1, giving her four RBIs across the two contests.
Stetson extended its lead in the fifth with a two-run homer to right. The Red Storm threatened in the sixth and seventh innings but could not push another run across.
Slade, Lysiak and Limbani accounted for the three St. John's hits. In the circle, Ana Serafinko struck out eight over five innings of work, while Avery Neuman added a scoreless sixth inning in relief.
St. John's returns to action tomorrow against Columbia at noon and Stetson at 2:30 p.m.
Francia scattered six hits and struck out six against the Lions (0-6, 0-0 Ivy League), while Jess Bianco reached base three times and scored twice to pace the offense. Natasha Limbani added an RBI in the first game and later provided the lone Red Storm run in Game 2 with a solo home run.
Stetson (10-3, 0-0 Atlantic Sun) used a five-run first inning to take control of the nightcap and hand the Johnnies (10-2, 0-0 BIG EAST) just their second loss of the season.
Game 1: St. John's 3, Columbia 0
St. John's opened the day with a 3-0 victory over Columbia behind a complete-game effort from Francia. The senior walked three and recorded six strikeouts in her fifth win of the year, stranding multiple runners over the first three innings before settling into a rhythm.
The Red Storm put up two runs in the bottom of the first. Bianco reached on an infield single, stole second and moved to third on a bunt single from London Slade.
Elanna Lysiak doubled down the left-field line to score Bianco, and Natasha Limbani followed with an infield RBI single to plate Slade for a 2-0 lead.
St. John's added an insurance run in the fifth when Bianco singled, advanced to third on a sacrifice and groundout, and scored on a fielding error. Francia closed the door by allowing just one baserunner over the final two frames.
Bianco finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored and a stolen base, while Lysiak and Limbani each drove in a run.
Game 2 : Stetson 7, St. John's 1
Stetson capitalized on a fast start to hand the Red Storm a 7-1 loss in the nightcap.
The Hatters jumped ahead with a five-run first inning, highlighted by a two-run double and a three-run home run. St. John's responded in the second when Limbani lifted a solo shot to left field to cut into the deficit, 5-1, giving her four RBIs across the two contests.
Stetson extended its lead in the fifth with a two-run homer to right. The Red Storm threatened in the sixth and seventh innings but could not push another run across.
Slade, Lysiak and Limbani accounted for the three St. John's hits. In the circle, Ana Serafinko struck out eight over five innings of work, while Avery Neuman added a scoreless sixth inning in relief.
St. John's returns to action tomorrow against Columbia at noon and Stetson at 2:30 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Francia, Loreley (5-1)
L: Lawson, Mads (0-3)
Batting:
2B: Mason, Kyra 1
Batting:
2B: Lysiak, Elanna 1
RBI: Limbani, Natasha 1 ; Lysiak, Elanna 1
SH: Slade, London 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Slade, London 1 ; Bianco, Jess 2
SB: Bianco, Jess 1
HBP: Post, Sarah 1 ; Fernandez, Gia 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
SS
/ Softball
3B/OF
/ Softball
P/UTIL
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballOF
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