The St. John’s baseball team continued conference play last weekend, losing all three of their games against Connecticut.
After dropping both games of a doubleheader on April 2, St. John’s allowed a six-run second inning the next day that allowed Connecticut to open up a seven-run lead. The Red Storm dropped the final game 8-2.
St. John’s starter Brendan Lobban went 4 1/3 innings and allowed eight runs, picking up his first loss of the season, and was relieved by Sean Hagen, who did not allow a run in 3 2/3 innings of relief.
John Andreoli and Dough Elliot opened the second inning with back-to-back singles. Andreoli advanced to
second on an error and scored on Elliot’s single.
Nick Ahmed’s one-out fielder’s choice drove in Elliot, and after Billy Ferriter was hit by a pitch, George Springer doubled him in. With two on and two out, Mike Nemeth opened the floodgates with a three-run home run.
The Red Storm put up a run in the top of the second inning, as sophomore Robert Case led off the inning with a double and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt. Senior Joe Witowski then drove him in with a double in the right-center field gap. Connecticut starter Greg Nappo went six innings and allowed just one earned run.
St. John’s was held scoreless for five straight innings, but added another run in the eighth as pinch-hitter Rowan Wick led off with a double and Jeremy Baltz drove him in as he reached base on an error. Baltz went 2-for-4 with an RBI.
Connecticut 6, St. John’s 5
UConn scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth off St. John’s closer Matt Carasiti to take the second game of the doubleheader on April 2, as pinch-hitter Tim Martin had an RBI single that scored Ryan Moore and later scored when LJ Mazzilli reached on a fielder’s choice.
The Red Storm led 5-2 in the sixth as shortstop Joe Panik scored on a suicide squeeze play and an errant pickoff play at first base scored first baseman Paul Karmas.
St. John’s scored four runs off Connecticut starter Elliot Glynn, who went five innings. Designated hitter Robert Case went 1-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored.
St. John’s starter Kevin Kilpatrick retired 11 straight batters for the Red Storm after allowing two runs in the second inning. The junior went seven innings and allowed four runs on five hits, striking out five.
Connecticut 9, St. John’s 1
St. John’s allowed nine runs in the final three innings in the first game of the doubleheader, as the Huskies scored five runs off Red Storm starter Kyle Hansen in the seventh and hit Stephen Rivera and Miguel Valcarel, who came in relief. Connecticut starter Matt Barnes allowed one earned run through 8 2/3 innings, retiring the first 12 batters he faced.
The Huskies took a 3-1 lead in the sixth inning as George Springer hit an RBI single, Ryan Fuller hit an RBI double and later scored on a wild throw by Hansen.
Hansen retired the first two batters in the seventh before allowing the next four batters to reach base and the Huskies to take a 5-1 lead. Rivera entered the game and got the final out of the inning.
Rivera allowed three earned runs in the eighth as part of a four-run Connecticut inning. Ahmed’s two-out, two-run double off Valcarel capped the scoring.
Baltz went 1-for-4 and scored the lone St. John’s run in the opening game.
