Feb. 23, 2008

Box Score

ROCK HILL, S.C. - The St. John's baseball team scored in each of the first three innings en route to defeating Gardner Webb 8-4 in the 2008 season opener. Senior George Brown scattered three hits over 6.0 innings and allowed just one run to pick up the win for St. John's. Making his debut with the Red Storm, junior outfielder Carlos Del Rosario finished 3-for-4 with 3 RBI.

Brian Kemp got things started for St. John's in the bottom of the first inning as he led off with a triple. Del Rosario then followed with an RBI single up the middle that plated Kemp and gave the Red Storm an early 1-0 lead.

Freshman Paul Karmas led off the bottom of the second inning with a single to pick up his first career hit. Karmas then advanced to second after Joe Witkowski followed with a single of his own. Gino Matias moved both runners up with a sacrifice bunt and Del Rosario came up to the plate with two outs and drove in two more runs with a single between first and second base to put St. John's up 3-0.

After threatening, but being kept off the board in the second inning, the Bulldogs plated one run in the third. Brown opened the inning by hitting Jon Ahearn and allowing a single to Jamall Kinard. After inducing a fly ball out, Ahearn stole third and Bubbie Spake grounded out to short allowing Ahearn to come home from third. Brown ended the inning with another groundout to short.

The Red Storm led off with a hit for the third straight inning when Tim Morris drove a double over the head of the right fielder. Gil Zayas moved Morris to third with a single before Jeff Grantham hit into a double play that allowed Morris to score.

Brown retired the side in order in both the fourth and fifth innings and eventually retired nine in a row before walking Spake in the sixth inning.

After two quick outs in the bottom of the sixth, the Red Storm increased the lead to 6-1 after Grantham walked and Witkowski connected to right field for his first career home run.

The Red Storm added a pair of runs in the eighth inning to increase the lead to 8-1. Zayas led off with a single and a pair of groundouts moved Zayas to third. Witkowski then reached on an error by the first baseman that allowed Zayas to score. Matias then singled before Kemp followed with an RBI single to plate the eighth run of the game.

Justin Gutsie worked a scoreless seventh inning and Rich Armento worked a scoreless eighth before allowing three runs in the top of the ninth.

Kemp, Zayas and Witkowski each finished with two hits for St. John's.

Notes: Del Rosario, Karmas, Witkowski and Morris each collected their first career hits for the Red Storm ... Del Rosario set career-highs with two hits and three RBI ... Witkowski set career-highs with two hits and two RBI ... eight different players had at least one hit ... Greg Hopkins made his debut in the seventh as a pinch hitter and stayed in the game to play third base ... Scott Ferrara pinch hit in the eight to make his debut and stayed in to play left field ... Tom La Stella pinch hit in the eighth to make his debut ... Daniel Benedetti made his debut and caught in the ninth inning.