The St. John’s baseball team’s struggles continued on Sunday afternoon versus the No. 30 Kentucky Wildcats at the Old Dominion Baseball Tournament as the Red Storm were blown out 13-0.
St. John’s couldn’t get anything going in any aspect of their play on Sunday. On the offense side of things as they left eight men stranded on the base paths. The pitching staff struggled as well as the six pitchers who saw action combined to give up 10 earned runs and walk 10 batters. Behind the struggling pitching staff it didn’t help that three errors were made that forced three more runs across the plate.
The Red Storm’s (1-5) loss to the Wildcats (5-2) marked their fifth straight loss and their schedule wont get any easier as they have eight straight road games until retuning home to Jack Kaiser Stadium.
Kentucky first baseman A.J Reed continued his recent offensive tear versus the Red Storm as he belted two home runs on the afternoon, bringing his numbers for the weekend to five home runs and 11 RBI’s.
The Wildcats were able to get St. John’s starting pitcher Ryan McCormick for five runs in five innings, as he served up both of A.J Reed’s homers and was given his first loss on the season.
Kyle Cody started the game for Kentucky as he pitched six scoreless innings against St. John’s and was credited with his first win on the season.
The sixth inning was where disaster struck for St. John’s. The Wildcats were able to send 10 players to the plate, while scoring six runs on four hits, a walk, and two errors. Before the inning ended the Johnnies used two relievers and at the end of the top of the sixth the Wildcats lead 11-0.
Freshman designated hitter Troy Dixon had the best day at the plate for the Red Storm as he went 2-for-3.
Blankmeyer had to make numerous trips to the mound to get new pitchers and the five pitchers who came out of the bullpen, Mike Sheppard III, Matt Hennie, Matt Clancy, Shawn Heide and Thomas Hackimer, struggled for the Johnnies giving up five runs in four innings of relief.
St. John’s will try and get back in the win column on Friday Feb. 28 as the head down to Boca Raton to play Florida Atlantic University.
