QUEENS, N.Y. – The Villanova Wildcat baseball team closed out the 2021 season on Saturday afternoon with a 6-1 loss to the St. John's Red Storm. With the setback, Villanova finishes the year at 21-14 overall and 9-12 in BIG EAST play, while St. John's ends the season at 19-21 and 10-16.

St. John's scored all six of its runs in the bottom of the second on four hits, two walks and two Villanova errors. The two big hits of the inning came on a home run by Justin Folz and two-run single from Carson Bartels. All six runs were charged to Wildcat starter Devin Rivera (Valley Cottage, N.Y.) with three of the six being unearned.

Villanova scored its only run of the game in the top of the fourth. Freshman Cameron Hassert (Longmont, Colo.) lined a one-out single that was mishandled by Red Storm center fielder Ryan Hogan. The miscue helped Hassert advance all the way to third where he would score the unearned run on a wild pitch.

The Wildcats tallied five hits in the loss, highlighted by a double from senior Chris Rotondo (Redding, Conn.). Three Villanova relievers, including Cameron Mathes (Broomall, Pa.), Mike Schwartz (Merrick, N.Y.) and Cole Vanderslice (Ocean City, N.J.) combined to throw three and a third shutout innings, while allowing just one hit.

St. John's was led by third baseman Marty Higgins who had three hits, including a double and starting pitcher Tyler Roche who pitched six strong innings giving up the one run on three hits and striking out eight.