After winning the SJU Tournament a week ago, the St. John’s softball team sustained a disappointing weekend, losing three out of four against Big East rivals, Rutgers and Villanova.

The Red Storm (14-16, 1-3) opened its Big East season with a split at Rutgers. Senior Courtney Fitzgerald pitched a three hitter in game one to lead the Red Storm to a 7-1 win. However, Rutgers shut down the St. John’s offense in game two, winning 2-0.

In the first game, after being held hitless for the first four innings, the Red Storm put together a five run fifth inning.

Freshman Jo Sherlock led off the inning with a single to left field. Sherlock moved to second on a passed ball and the Red Storm had runners on the corners when freshman Jessica Marical reached on a fielder’s choice.

Exhibiting an aggressive style of play, the Red Storm executed a double steal, scoring Sherlock and moving Marical to second.

A single to left field by freshman Linda Reyes and a fielder’s choice by senior Jessica Cameron loaded the bases for freshman Megan Oliver.

Oliver sent a shot to left field for her first career triple, clearing the bases. Senior Alesha Argeras added another hit to left, driving home Oliver to cap the five-run, four-hit inning.

Fitzgerald looked extremely impressive, notching her first Big East victory since 2001.

She allowed just three hits and one run while striking out three and walking none.

In game two, a wild Meghan Allman surrendered two runs in the first inning and Rutgers was able to coast behind the strong pitching of Brielle Cosentino.

Cosentino earned the win for Rutgers, going the distance, allowing seven hits and striking out three.

Allman finished the day with just two and two-thirds innings pitched. She hit three batters, walked three and allowed two runs on one hit.

After having its Sunday doubleheader against Villanova postponed a day because of inclement weather, the Red Storm were swept by the Wildcats on Monday.

The Red Storm dropped a heartbreaker, 4-3, to the Wildcats in 10 innings in game one, before Villanova took the second game, 6-1.

All of the Red Storm’s runs in the doubleheader came on home runs.

In game one, sophomore Allina Sainz hit a three run shot and sophomore Jillian Sandoval recorded her first career homer in game two.

Over the first five innings, Fitzgerald pitched well, allowing just four hits, but the Wildcats exploded for three runs in the bottom of the sixth to send the game into extra innings and eventually winning in the bottom of the tenth.

Fitzgerald pitched all 10 innings for the Red Storm, allowing four earned runs on 12 hits while striking out six and walking one.

The second game was competitive for much of the afternoon, however the Wildcats feasted in the sixth once again, scoring five runs on just three hits.

Allman started the game but Fitzgerald took the loss for the Storm, allowing one earned run on four hits. She walked two and struck out three.

The Johnnies will play host to Pittsburgh and Virginia Tech this upcoming weekend.