TicketsApril 20, 2012
CINCINNATI -- The University of Cincinnati baseball team fell to St. John's University 14-1 Friday evening at Marge Schott Stadium.
UC pitching was overpowered by a St. John's offense that ranks fourth in the BIG EAST in runs scored. The Red Storm produced 23 hits, a season-high for a Cincinnati opponent.
The Bearcats had chances to limit the St. John's offense, but the Red Storm collected seven two-out runs.
Junior right-hander Andrew Strenge (Yardley, Pa./Holy Ghost Prep) had a rough outing, allowing seven runs on four hits in four innings pitched.
The Red Storm combined for nine runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings and added another in the eighth to run away from the Bearcats.
St. John's starting pitcher, right hander Matt Carasiti, tossed 8 2-3 innings, allowing just one run on six hits.
Cincinnati's long one run came in the bottom of the second. Senior designated hitter T.J. Jones (Cincinnati, Ohio/LaSalle) led off with a single and advanced to second on a walk by senior catcher Jake Saylor (Chandler, Ariz./Hamilton/Paradise Valley CC). Senior Braden Kline (Warsaw, Ind./Warsaw Community) drove in Jones from second on a single to right field to make the score 4-1.
St. John's scored four runs on five hits in the top of the second inning. With one out and runners on first and second, SJU designated hitter Zach Lauricella singled up the middle on what could've been a potential double-play ball, but sophomore shortstop Matt Williams (Mason, Ohio/Cincinnati Hills Christian) could not come up with the play as umpire Brandon Cooper was blocking Williams' vision, allowing the Red Storm to produced its first run. SJU second baseman Danny Bathea doubled down the left-field line for two RBIs. Two batters later, center fielder Kyle Richardson plated a base runner with an RBI groundout.
A 37-minute rain delay occurred with one out in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Cincinnati and St. John's will play the second game of the three-game conference series 4 p.m. Saturday, when freshman left-hander Zach Morris (Edgewater, Md./DeMatha Catholic) will get the start for UC. The ballgame can be heard live on Real Talk 1160 WQRT-AM and will be video streamed on GoBEARCATS.com.