In the rubber match of a three-game set, the UConn Huskies take the victory over the St. John’s Red Storm, 3-1, at Jack Kaiser Stadium. This concludes the first series between the two schools since the realignment of the modern Big East Conference.
St. John’s has lost five of their last six games losing back-to-back series at Kansas and against UConn.
Although two days away from the first day of spring, temperatures stayed in the 30s today in Queens, NY as they have all weekend.
It had the makings of a pitcher’s duel in the first half of this game as both starting pitchers allowed a combined 5 hits after four scoreless innings.
St. John’s struck first with a RBI single in the fifth by senior Rob Boselli III scoring graduate student Luke Stampfl from second. That prompted a pitching change for the UConn Huskies, as starter Chase Garder was pulled for Ronnie Rossomando after 4.2 innings and giving up only one run.
UConn responded in the top of the sixth scoring three runs. Issac Feldstein drove in two with a triple to right-center. St. John’s starter, junior Michael Lopresti, would end the day with 5.2 innings giving up three earned runs striking out four. Huskies’ Thad Phillips would drive in Feldstein on a RBI groundout the next at-bat.
UConn tried to add a run on a sacrifice fly in the top of the seventh, but the Red Storm appealed the tag from third base and the run did not count. The offense for both teams would not make any noise as the 3-1 lead for the Huskies remained.
UConn’s Rossomando earned the victory throwing 2.1 innings putting out all seven batters he faced, including two strikeouts. As a team, UConn recorded only five hits to St. John’s seven. Lopresti gets the loss and falls to 2-1 on the season.
St. John’s grad student John Valente extends his hitting streak to 18 games, and his on-base streak to 31 games, dating back to 2017 on an infield single in the ninth. Valente’s batting average is .429, the only Red Storm hitter above the .400 mark. Stampfl and senior Jamie Galazin each went 2-4 in the contest. Red Storm Junior Wyatt Mascaralla also recorded a hit going 1-3.
St. John’s host Fairfield Tuesday, March 20 at 3 p.m as they continue their eight-game home stand.
