St. John's University Athletics
Friday, February 6
Charleston, S.C. (CSU Softball Complex)
12 p.m.
St. John's University
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St John's
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St. John’s Opens 2026 Season with Sweep in Charleston
2/6/2026 11:52:00 PM | Softball
The Red Storm rode a walk-off from Natasha Limbani and a shutout from Ana Serafinko to open the 2026 campaign 2-0
CHARLESTON, S.C. — The St. John's softball team opened its 2026 campaign with a sweep on Friday in Charleston, using a walk-off home run from Niagara transfer Natasha Limbani to edge Siena, 8-7, before riding a dominant pitching outing from Ana Serafinko to shutout Charleston Southern, 6-0.
Game 1
St. John's opened its 2026 season in dramatic fashion, defeating Siena, 8-7, on a walk-off home run by Limbani in the seventh inning.
The Johnnies' offense got hot early in the third inning after Ava Fierst and Jess Bianco singled to spark the Red Storm offense. Cassidy Stouffer followed with a base hit to load the bases before Elanna Lysiak drove in the first run of the season with an RBI fielder's choice. Serafinko added on shortly after, driving a single deep into the gap in center field to plate Stouffer and give St. John's a 2-0 lead.
In the fourth, Sarah Post singled up the middle and moved to third on a double from Limbani. With the bases loaded, Bianco drew a walk, bringing home Post before Stouffer added an RBI fielder's choice to give the Red Storm a 4-0 advantage.
Siena responded with a four-run fifth inning, capitalizing on a Red Storm error and a two-run double to knot the score. St. John's answered in the bottom of the fifth, as Post delivered a run-scoring single and Bianco lined an RBI base hit down the left-field line to regain a 6-4 lead.
The Saints took the lead in the seventh with a solo home run and a two-run error in center field. St. John's countered one final time, as Post singled to right field and gave way to pinch-runner Alyssa Platero. Limbani then unleashed a walk-off blast to left field over the wall, lifting the Johnnies ahead and securing their first victory of the new campaign.
Post led the offense with a three-hit performance, while Bianco reached base four times on two hits and two walks. Serafinko added two hits and an RBI, and Limbani finished with a double, a home run and two runs scored. Loreley Francia went the distance in the circle, striking out seven batters in her complete-game win.
Game 2
Serafinko delivered a dominant outing in the circle against Charleston Southern, striking out 11 in a complete-game shutout as the Red Storm blanked the Buccaneers, 6-0, to close out the opening day in Charleston. The senior scattered six hits an issued just one walk across seven innings.
St. John's jumped out in front immediately with a three-hit first inning. After Bianco drew a walk and Slade laid down a bunt single, Lysiak opened the scoring with an RBI double to right field. Serafinko followed with a sharp single to left to bring Slade home and extend the visitor's lead to 2-0.
The Red Storm added another run in the second as Makenna Meadows reached on an error before singles from Bianco and Slade set up Lysiak. The Wheatfield, N.Y., native drove in her second run of the evening with a fielder's choice to make it 3-0.
St. John's completely broke the game open in the fifth. After an error and passed ball pushed Platero to third, she scored on another passed ball, her second career run in as many games. Limbani followed with a single before Meadows drilled a triple into right-center to bring the former home. Meadows then crossed the plate herself, stretching the lead to 6-0.
Serafinko finished her 2026 pitching debut with 11 strikeouts, no runs allowed and only gave up six hits.
Lysiak led the offense with a pair of hits and two RBI, while Slade and Bianco each added two hits. Meadows supplied an RBI triple and scored twice as the Johnnies capped the day with their second-straight win.
The Red Storm will play two games again tomorrow starting at 12:30 p.m. against Central Michigan followed by a matchup with Charleston slated for 5:30 p.m.
Game 1
St. John's opened its 2026 season in dramatic fashion, defeating Siena, 8-7, on a walk-off home run by Limbani in the seventh inning.
The Johnnies' offense got hot early in the third inning after Ava Fierst and Jess Bianco singled to spark the Red Storm offense. Cassidy Stouffer followed with a base hit to load the bases before Elanna Lysiak drove in the first run of the season with an RBI fielder's choice. Serafinko added on shortly after, driving a single deep into the gap in center field to plate Stouffer and give St. John's a 2-0 lead.
In the fourth, Sarah Post singled up the middle and moved to third on a double from Limbani. With the bases loaded, Bianco drew a walk, bringing home Post before Stouffer added an RBI fielder's choice to give the Red Storm a 4-0 advantage.
Siena responded with a four-run fifth inning, capitalizing on a Red Storm error and a two-run double to knot the score. St. John's answered in the bottom of the fifth, as Post delivered a run-scoring single and Bianco lined an RBI base hit down the left-field line to regain a 6-4 lead.
The Saints took the lead in the seventh with a solo home run and a two-run error in center field. St. John's countered one final time, as Post singled to right field and gave way to pinch-runner Alyssa Platero. Limbani then unleashed a walk-off blast to left field over the wall, lifting the Johnnies ahead and securing their first victory of the new campaign.
Post led the offense with a three-hit performance, while Bianco reached base four times on two hits and two walks. Serafinko added two hits and an RBI, and Limbani finished with a double, a home run and two runs scored. Loreley Francia went the distance in the circle, striking out seven batters in her complete-game win.
Game 2
Serafinko delivered a dominant outing in the circle against Charleston Southern, striking out 11 in a complete-game shutout as the Red Storm blanked the Buccaneers, 6-0, to close out the opening day in Charleston. The senior scattered six hits an issued just one walk across seven innings.
St. John's jumped out in front immediately with a three-hit first inning. After Bianco drew a walk and Slade laid down a bunt single, Lysiak opened the scoring with an RBI double to right field. Serafinko followed with a sharp single to left to bring Slade home and extend the visitor's lead to 2-0.
The Red Storm added another run in the second as Makenna Meadows reached on an error before singles from Bianco and Slade set up Lysiak. The Wheatfield, N.Y., native drove in her second run of the evening with a fielder's choice to make it 3-0.
St. John's completely broke the game open in the fifth. After an error and passed ball pushed Platero to third, she scored on another passed ball, her second career run in as many games. Limbani followed with a single before Meadows drilled a triple into right-center to bring the former home. Meadows then crossed the plate herself, stretching the lead to 6-0.
Serafinko finished her 2026 pitching debut with 11 strikeouts, no runs allowed and only gave up six hits.
Lysiak led the offense with a pair of hits and two RBI, while Slade and Bianco each added two hits. Meadows supplied an RBI triple and scored twice as the Johnnies capped the day with their second-straight win.
The Red Storm will play two games again tomorrow starting at 12:30 p.m. against Central Michigan followed by a matchup with Charleston slated for 5:30 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Francia, Loreley (1-0)
L: Violet Marta (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Gracie Goewey 1
3B: Ella Milante 1
HR: Emma Petersen 1
RBI: Megan Klein 1 ; Gracie Goewey 1 ; Emma Petersen 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Megan Klein 1 ; Mckenzie Faherty 1 ; Emma Petersen 1 ; Mary Mikalsen 1 ; Sarah Miller 1 ; Carlie Venables 1 ; Lauren Melton 1
SB: Megan Klein 1 ; Carlie Venables 1 ; Lauren Melton 1
Batting:
2B: Limbani, Natasha 1
HR: Limbani, Natasha 1
RBI: Bianco, Jess 2 ; Stouffer, Cassidy 1 ; Lysiak, Elanna 1 ; Serafinko, Ana 1 ; Post, Sarah 1 ; Limbani, Natasha 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Stouffer, Cassidy 1 ; Konopka, Madison 1 ; Slade, London 1 ; Post, Sarah 1 ; Platero, Alyssa 1 ; Limbani, Natasha 2 ; Fierst, Ava 1
CS: Bianco, Jess 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
1
H
3
RBI
1
AB
2
R
0
H
2
RBI
2
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
SS/OF
/ Softball
OF/UTIL
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballINF/OF
/ Softball
3B/OF
/ Softball
P/UTIL
/ Softball
OF/UTIL
/ SoftballC/INF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
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