April 27, 2008

Box Score

NOTRE DAME, Ind. - The St. John's baseball team fell behind early and eventually fell to No. 24 Notre Dame, 8-4, in the final game of the three-game set. Michael Aicardi had a pinch-hit two RBI double, while Tim Morris was 2-for-2 with an RBI for St. John's (31-10, 13-5). St. John's did, however, win its sixth BIG EAST series of the year. Jeremy Barnes, Sean Gaston and Billy Boockford had two RBI apiece for Notre Dame (28-12-1, 13-5).

After a 1-2-3 top of the first, Notre Dame plated one run in the bottom of the frame to take an early 1-0 lead. Brett Lilley led off the inning with a single and David Mills followed with a sacrifice bunt. Following two straight walks to load the bases, Jeremy Barnes sent a sacrifice fly all the way to the wall in center field to put the Irish up 1-0. Another walk would reload the bases before Yecker struck out Sean Gaston to end the inning.

The Irish would plate two more runs in the third. After a pair of one-out singles, Barnes grounded the ball towards second for what looked like an inning ending double play. The ball then took a bad bounce and hopped over the head of second baseman Gino Matias and into center field. One run would score on the play and Yecker would walk the next batter to load the bases with one out. Gaston followed with a RBI single through the right side that kept the bases loaded and forced St. John's to go to the bullpen. Matt Tosoni entered and struck out the first two batters he faced to end the frame.

The Red Storm put runners on in the second, third and fourth innings, but Maust would keep St. John's off the board. St. John's grounded into double plays to end both the second and third innings and could not capitalize on a one-out double by Paul Karmas in the fourth.

Tosoni retired the first four batters he faced and five of the first six before allowing back-to-back one-out singles in the fifth. With two outs, Billy Boockford then doubled to the wall in left center to plate two runs and put the Irish up 5-0.

St. John's loaded the bases with two outs in the sixth, but could not break through. After retiring the first two batters in the sixth, Maust walked the next two before allowing an infield single to pinch hitter Tim Morris. Chris Anninos sent a fly ball to deep center field, but A.J. Pollock chased it down and caught it at the warning track.

Nick Cenatiempo relieved Tosoni to open the sixth and allowed a lead off double. Following a pop out to third base, another pop up to third base was dropped allowing Pollock to reach. After a fly out to center, Cenatiempo issued a walk to load the bases and St. John's went to the bullpen for Luis Monell. A run scored on a wild pitch before consecutive walks by Monell brought in another run for Notre Dame.

In the seventh for Notre Dame, Greg Sherry led off with a single down the left field line. Carlos Del Rosario, however, threw Sherry out attempting to reach second. The next three runners would also reach before a sacrifice fly plated a run to put Notre Dame up 8-0.

The Red Storm broke through for four runs in the eighth. Matias led off the inning with a single up the middle and Grantham followed with a single through the left side. After a fly out, Morris sent an RBI single through the hole in the right side to put St. John's on the board. Anninos then reached on a fielder's choice as Grantham came home to make it 8-2. Following a walk to Hopkins, Notre Dame brought in David Mills to relieve Maust. On the first pitch Mills threw, pinch hitter Michael Aicardi roped a two RBI double off of the wall in left field. Notre Dame went right back to the bullpen and brought in Tony Langford to end the rally with a fly out to center field.

The Red Storm returns to action with a home game against NYIT at 3 p.m. on April 29.