University of Louisville
ST. JOHN'S*
Ijames's Blast Downs No. 22 St. John's Sunday
April 06, 2008 | Baseball
April 6, 2008
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Freshman Stewart Ijames's three-run home run, the first of his collegiate career, broke a 3-3 tie and lifted the University of Louisville to a 10-3 win over St. John's on a spectacular Sunday afternoon in the Derby City.
The 10 runs marks the first time in 57 games that an opponent has scored in double figures against the 22nd-ranked Red Storm, and was just their sixth loss of the season.
Daniel Benedetti drew a one-out walk in the first and Chris Anninos followed with his team-leading sixth home run of the season to put St. John's on top 2-0.
Louisville picked up a run in the bottom of the second when Jeff Arnold singled and a hit and run single by Phil Wunderlich put runners at the corners for Derrick Alfonso, whose RBI groundout cut the lead to 2-1.
In the Red Storm (22-6, 7-2 BIG EAST) third, Benedetti doubled to the gap in left, and an out later he was doubled home by Paul Karmas, making it 3-1 SJU.
Alfonso was hit by a pitch to open the Cardinal (16-12, 4-5 BIG EAST) half of the fifth, and moved to second on a balk by St. John's reliever Luis Monell before an RBI single up the middle by Drew Haynes cut the St. John's lead to 3-2.
Louisville jumped into the lead for the first time on the weekend with a four-run sixth inning.
Chris Dominguez singled with one out, and moved to third on a double down the right field line by Arnold. A Wunderlich groundout plated Dominguez to tie the game at three. Alfonso then hustled down the line on a slow roller to third, and the throw from third baseman Gil Zayas pulled Karmas off the bag, extending the inning to Ijames.
The freshman worked the count to full and hammered the payoff pitch on a line to the batter's eye in center, putting the Cards on top 6-3.
The Cards then broke the game open in the seventh.
Justin McClanahan reached on catcher's interference, and Dominguez followed with a bloop single to center. As McClanahan strided into third, SJU center fielder Brian Kemp tried to throw behind Dominguez at first, but threw wide of the bag into the dugout, scoring McClanahan and putting Dominguez at third.
Arnold was then hit by a pitch and stole second, before Andrew Clark scored two with a single to left center. Ijames singled home the final run of the game to close the scoring.
Thomas Royse (1-0) followed starter Dean Kiekhefer on the mound for the Cards and earned his first career win, tossing an inning and two-thirds of scoreless ball, allowing two hits and striking out two. He has now worked 7.2 consecutive scoreless innings.
Kiekhefer worked 4.1 innings in the start, giving up three runs on five hits and two walks, striking out two.
Revesz followed Royse and tossed two scoreless frames, allowing a pair of hits. Senior closer B.J. Rosenberg worked an easy 1-2-3 ninth, striking out one.
SJU starter Jared Yecker was chased in the fifth. Monell(2-1) took the loss, giving up two runs - one earned, on three hits, fanning one.
The Cardinals will travel to Lexington Tuesday night to face instate rival Kentucky at 6:30 p.m. ET. in a game scheduled to be televised by Fox Sports South.
Louisville returns home to host Marshall on Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. ET.
