Published: April 05, 2007
QUEENS, N.Y.
St. John's (14-11, 5-3 BIG EAST) tore through a doubleheader
against Villanova (13-12, 3-5) at Jack Kaiser Stadium on Thursday,
winning the first game, 4-3, in a pitcher's duel, and the second,
16-9, behind a 20-hit attack. The Red Storm extended its winning
streak over Villanova to nine games and guaranteed itself a second
straight BIG EAST series win with the two victories.
Junior
Gil Zayas, who hit a game-winning double in the eighth inning
of Game One, and
Ryan Mahoney had a team-high four RBI on the day.
Sam DeLuca posted his first and the team's third four-hit game
of the season in the Game Two win and finished the day 6-for-10 at
the plate with four runs scored and a stolen base.
Chris Anninos doubled twice and homered as part of a 5-for-7
day, and
Gino Matias went a perfect 3-for-3 with an RBI and a stolen
base.
In the first game, freshman
Miguel Valcarcel earned the win in relief of starter
Scott Barnes, as St. John's plated the winning runs in the
bottom of the eighth inning. Junior
Matt Tosoni got the winning decision in Game Two by allowing
just one earned run in 4.1 innings.
GAME ONE
Zayas delivered a game-winning two-run double in the bottom of the
eighth inning to lift the Red Storm to a 4-3 win over Villanova.
The Wildcats took a 3-0 lead into the sixth inning, but the Red
Storm scored runs in the sixth, seventh and eighth to erase the
deficit and win for the sixth time in seven games.
Villanova struck first in the top of the fourth with a two-run
double to right-center field by Robert Parks. Derek Shunk added an
RBI single past a diving DeLuca in the fifth to give the Wildcats a
3-0 lead after five innings.
The Red Storm chipped away with single runs in the bottom of the
sixth and seventh innings. Kemp hit a leadoff triple in the sixth
and scored on an RBI groundout by Joachim, and Anninos scored
Brendan Monaghan with an RBI double to the right-center field
gap in the seventh.
Villanova loaded the bases with one out in the top of the
eighth, but Valcarcel eliminated the threat with a double play ball
to shortstop
Jeff Grantham.
St. John's grabbed its first lead of the game on Zayas' double
to the gap in right-center. Kemp led off the inning with an infield
single, then moved to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Joachim.
DeLuca also reached on an infield single to put runners on first
and second for Zayas, who scored them both with his seventh double
of the year.
Colin Lynch worked around a leadoff hit-by-pitch in the ninth
to seal the win and pick up his sixth save of the season and third
in BIG EAST play.
GAME TWO
The Red Storm got started early in Game Two, plating five
runs in both the first and second innings and two in the third to
take a 12-2 lead. Mahoney cleared the bases with a three-run double
in the first inning, and DeLuca and Zayas delivered two-run base
hits to highlight the Red Storm second. Zayas drove in another run
with a double in the third, and Anthony Smith added an RBI single
to left-center field.
Villanova plated five more runs in the fifth to chase Yecker
from the game and close to within five runs, 12-7. The Wildcats
loaded the bases with no outs in the frame and scored their first
run when Yecker hit shortstop Derek Shunk with a pitch. The
sophomore struck out the next two batters, but catcher Jim Gillin
cleared the bases with a grand slam down the left field line to cap
the Villanova scoring.
The teams exchanged runs in the sixth, and St. John's took a
14-9 lead into the final three innings of play. Tosoni finished the
game with scoreless seventh, eighth and ninth innings to complete
the doubleheader sweep and earn his third win in the last nine
days.