Saint John's Red Storm Final '07 Rank: 34 41-19

The St. John's baseball team made its 30th all-time NCAA Tournament appearance in 2007, the eighth most in collegiate baseball, after completing their third straight forty-win season in a row (41-19). The Red Storm finished the regular season in a tie for the BIG EAST championship and was rewarded with an at-large berth into the NCAAs and a trip to the Myrtle Beach Regional. Unfortunately however the Johnnies fell to host Coastal Carolina in a one run elimination game to end the Storm season. With a solid core of veteran players and a head coach in Ed Blankmeyer who has been the BIG EAST and Northeast Regional Coach of the Year two of the last three seasons, 2008 could be the year St. John’s makes it back to Omaha and the CWS for the first time since 1980.

Offensively SJU is led by the potent quartet of Gil Zayas, Brian Kemp, Chris Anninos and Jeff Grantham. Senior strong armed third baseman Zayas led the team with a .353 batting average and added 25 extra base hits. Zayas was born and raised in Cuba, and with another strong season, should accomplish his goal of playing professionally. Kemp, a stellar centerfielder and potent leadoff hitter, hit .348 his freshman season with 25 stolen bases. Over the summer, Kemp was named the New England Collegiate Baseball League’s MVP after leading the league in batting average (.398), runs scored (38), hits (72), total bases (87) and stolen bases (32). Senior outfielder Anninos hit .325 with eight homeruns, the most of any returning player. Also a fundamental fielder, he and Kemp combined for just three errors all season in the green. Senior shortstop Grantham hit .342 and plays good fundamental baseball, providing solid defense and smart decision making to the infield.

Pitchingwise, the Red Storm are just as solid as the offense with a host of experienced arms ready to retake the mound. The top five starters all have returned to campus this season. Junior lefty Scott Barnes should be the staff ace after going 9-2 with a 2.92 ERA last year. He started 15 games for the Johnnies, amassing 99 strikeouts in 95.1 innings. Senior southpaw George Brown had an ERA just a tad north of three (3.09) and won six games while only losing two. Towering 6”6’ righty Jared Yecker went 7-4 his first season for SJU and only allowed 3.27 runs per nine innings. Another tall drink of water on the hill, 6”5’ hurler Matt Tosoni amassed a 5-4 record with a 3.71 ERA his junior season. He’d be looking to help power SJU to the College World Series and replace beating Cuba in the World Championships as a member of Team Canada as the most thrilling moment in his athletic career. Junior Colin Lynch made 26 appearances and saved 11 games last year. He’ll once again be in the backend of the bullpen, bringing his hard fastball and fearless mentality to the mound to close games. He’ll be set up by sophomore Nick Cenatiempo (2-1, 3.77) who was a single strikeout away from averaging a K per inning (27 Ks, 28.2 IP).