College Baseball: St. John’s Holds Off Rutgers, 2-0, in BIG EAST Baseball Action
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Media Release
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – The Rutgers baseball team loaded the bases to stage a two-out, ninth inning rally, but St. John's reliever Colin Lynch ended the Scarlet Knights' threat with a game-ending strikeout as the Red Storm held on for the 2-0 victory Friday afternoon at Bainton Field.
Rutgers fell to 5-11 overall and 0-2 in BIG EAST play, while St. John's improved to 15-4 overall and 2-0 in league competition.
For the second-straight day, the St. John's pitching staff limited the Rutgers offense, with the Scarlet Knights collecting three hits on the afternoon. This time, it was starter George Brown with seven innings of three-hit ball with three strikeouts for the Red Storm. Sophomore Casey Gaynor (Toms River, N.J.) worked six solid innings for Rutgers to match SJU's effort.
In a pitcher's duel, the Red Storm were the first to strike, with the first score of the game in the fifth inning. Gil Zayas of St. John's hit a screaming line drive to the gap in left-center field for a one-out double in the frame and Tim Morris followed with a blooper just inside the left-field line for double to plate Zayas for the game's first run.
The Red Storm broke through again in the sixth. St. John's got three-straight singles to leadoff the inning and loaded the bases against Gaynor. Greg Hopkins then found a hole on the left side for SJU's fourth-straight hit, allowing the game's second run. The Red Storm sent a second runner to the plate on the play, but a well-executed relay, starting with the throw from left fielder Jarred Jimenez (Monroe, N.J.) to cutoff man Tom Edwards (West Caldwell, N.J.), and an accurate toss to catcher Jon Gossard (Harrington Park, N.J.), got the runner out as Gossard applied the tag at the plate.
A pair of excellent defensive plays by shortstop Dan Betteridge (Sewell, N.J.) highlighted the Scarlet Knights' play in the field. In the fourth, Chris Anninos lined a hard shot that was corralled by the leaping shortstop. Betteridge made a nice diving stop and rolled over to throw to second base for the force out on a ball deep up the middle in the top of the eighth.
Gaynor (1-4) was saddled with the loss surrendered the two runs on eight hits with a pair of strikeouts in his six innings of work, while senior Matt Patterson (Passaic, N,J.) and junior Jason Downey (Ballston Lake, N.Y.) combined to hurl three scoreless innings in relief.
Brown (4-0) picked up the win, while Lynch picked up his fourth save of the season with the strikeout against the only batter he faced at the end. Lynch replaced hard-throwing reliever Justin Gutsie, who loaded the bases in the ninth.
Rutgers and St. John's will close out their series with a 1:00 p.m. game on Saturday. Junior righty Matt Giannini (Millington, N.J.) will be on the mound for the Scarlet Knights against righty Jared Yecker for the Red Storm.