The St. John’s baseball team grabbed a late comeback win on March 26 against the Central Connecticut State University (CCSU) Blue Devils 8-7. The Red Storm entered the game with a win over Wagner and a series win over Winthrop. CCSU entered the game with a series sweep of Mercyhurst in their last appearance, including two mercy rule wins.
On the mound to start for the Johnnies was sophomore pitcher Chris Batuyios, making his fourth appearance and first start of the season. Brock Pare took the mound for the Blue Devils, making his third start of the year.
The game went scoreless for the first four innings, both teams combined for three hits and four walks. Batuyios would exit the game after the fourth, finishing with no runs, two hits, one walk and three strikeouts. Pare would pitch for five innings, only allowing one hit and three walks.
CCSU would open scoring at the top of the fifth. Sophomore Jacob Ruiz would replace Batuyios and get the first out on a flyout on two pitches. Senior outfielder Gianno Merlonghi would reach base the next at-bat on a base hit to center.
The Red Storm got the second out of the inning on a fielder’s choice, tagging Merlonghi out at second base. Owen Arias brought the baserunner in on a double to left field.
The Blue Devils would extend their lead to five in the top of the seventh with a big four-run inning.
CCSU loaded the bases with one out on a hit-by pitch and two singles. Senior Kyle Gordon brought in the first run with an RBI base hit to left. The next two runs were brought in on another base hit by Aidan Redahan. The final run was scored on a wild pitch, bringing Gordon in.
The Red Storm responded instantly with a four-run frame of their own. A walk to Shaun McMillan set up a stolen base to put him in scoring position for redshirt freshman Adam Agresti, who would score McMillan on a double down the left field line.
A walk to Luke Orbon would put two men on base for senior Jace Jeremiah, who singled to left center to score Agresti. Jon LeGrande kept the inning going with a base hit up the middle to score Orbon. The final run of the inning was scored by Jayder Raifstanger, hitting a sacrifice fly to score Jeremiah.
The Blue Devils answered the fourth spot with a two-run eighth. A walk to Arias and a double from senior infielder Brady Short set up two men in scoring position with one out.
Redehan would get his fourth RBI of the afternoon with a two-RBI base hit, scoring both runners. Adam Agresti blasted a solo home run to left for the Johnnies to cut the CCSU lead to two.
Senior pitcher Sam Mettert worked a quick top of the ninth, striking out two to set up an eventual Red Storm comeback.
LeGrande opened the bottom half of the inning with a lead-off triple to center, senior Jackson Tucker grounded out to bring the run in and open the scoring. Raifstanger crushed a solo homer into the bullpens to tie the game at seven in the next at-bat.
Two singles from infielder Jared Beebe and McMillan, plus a passed ball put runners on second and third. The comeback would be completed after a catcher’s balk from Owen Arias brought Beebe home and ended the game.
The win over CCSU brings the Red Storm to a four-game winning streak and improves their record to 12-12 overall. St. John’s will face the Washington Huskies on April 2 at home next.
