St. John’s Falls to Villanova, 1-0, in Season Finale

Sunday, May 3

Villanova, Penn. (Villanova Softball Complex)

12 p.m.

St. John's University

32-23, 9-15

Villanova

14-39, 7-17

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
St. John's (N.Y.)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
Villanova	1	0	0	0	0	0	X	1	6	1

St. John’s Falls to Villanova, 1-0, in Season Finale

5/3/2026 2:42:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

The Red Storm finishes the 2026 campaign tying the second-best record in program history

VILLANOVA, Pa. — The St. John's softball team (32-23, 9-15 BIG EAST) fell to Villanova, 1-0, on Sunday at Villanova Softball Complex to close out the 2026 campaign.

Jess Bianco and Cassidy Stouffer accounted for each of the Johnnies' hits. Bianco, the BIG EAST's leader in knocks, broke her own program record for hits in a season after collecting her 75^th in the top of the sixth inning.

In the circle, Ana Serafinko went the distance while striking out nine. The senior southpaw ends her career at St. John's as the all-time leader in strikeouts after leading the BIG EAST while finishing with the second-most punchouts in NCAA Division I this season.

Villanova struck first after capitalizing on early traffic to take a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first on an RBI single. Serafinko limited any further damage with back-to-back strikeouts, stranding three to end the opening inning.

After the Johnnies were retired in order in the top of the second, Serafinko picked up another two strikeouts in the home half, working around a single while receiving aid from a caught stealing to hold the Red Storm's deficit at 1-0.

The Red Storm offense was held in check in the middle innings, while Serafinko continued to keep the Wildcats off the board. The senior notched her fifth strikeout of the afternoon in the bottom of the third before working out of a two-on threat in the fourth, recording back-to-back punchouts to escape the jam.

Serafinko navigated more trouble in the fifth, stranding a pair of Villanova baserunners to prevent the Wildcats from extending their advantage.

In the top of the sixth, St. John's tallied its first hit of the contest, as Bianco broke her own program record for hits in a season, collecting her 75^th of the 2026 campaign. The Red Storm was unable to advance her, as the next three Johnnies were retired in order.

Serafinko answered again in the home half, striking out two to retire the Wildcats in order and keep the hosts' lead at 1-0.

In the seventh, St. John's made one final push as Stouffer roped a two-out double down the third-base line, but the late rally stalled as a groundout ended the comeback hopes.

The Red Storm ends the 2026 campaign tying the program's second-highest win total in history with 32 while recording its third straight with at least 31 wins.