May 23, 2004

Box Score

Pittsburgh, Pa. - Freshman pitcher Matt Tosoni threw 6.2 innings of relief, and senior outfielder Anthony DeRosa drove in five runs, leading the St. John's baseball team to a 17-4 win over Pittsburgh on Sunday afternoon at Trees Field.

The win gives the Red Storm a series win against the Panthers, and clinches a second place finish in the league for the team, which finishes the regular season with a 35-19 overall record and a 17-9 mark in league play. The 35 wins are the most since the 1997 team won 35 that season, while the 17 BIG EAST wins are the most since 1991, when St. John's won 18.

Trailing 3-0 in the first inning, the Red Storm tied the game in the bottom of the second when DeRosa blasted a three-run home run over the wall in left.

The Red Storm broke the game open with a four-run third inning. Junior Blake Hershelman led the inning off with a solo home run, Chris Joachim drove in a run with a double and DeRosa added an RBI single.

That was enough for Tosoni, who went 6.2 innings, giving up one run on two hits, with two walks and four strikeouts as he improved to 3-1.

The game was put out of reach in the sixth with a nine-run inning, capped off by a two-out grand slam from sophomore Greg Thomson.

Sophomore Anthony Varvaro started the game and left after giving up three runs in the first inning.

St. John's scored 17 runs on 19 hits, with P.J. Antoniato leading the way with four. Ken Devenney and DeRosa each had three hits, while junior Jim Martin, Hershelman, Thomson and Joachim had two apiece.

The Red Storm will face Pittsburgh in the first round of the BIG EAST Tournament Championship on Thursday night at 7 p.m. at Commerce Bank Ballpark. Top-seeded Notre Dame will face No. 4 seed Boston College at 3:30 p.m.