By Phil Murphy
Senior Multimedia/Content Editor
Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area

*Click the links at the top-left for photos and videos from the game. Full box score and statistics below.*

After the Panthers took a two-run lead with a four-hit first inning, the Cadets knew their bats needed wake up.

It took only one pitch for St. John's to answer the alarm -- and for its junior catcher to put the "far" in Farber.

Drew Farber swung at the first pitch of his lead-off at-bat in the second inning and smashed it over the 345-feet sign in left-center, over the 20 rows of aluminum bleachers and into the parking lot for a solo home run.

And junior DH Kyle Kirsch added a similar first-pitch, two-run blast later that inning to spark an 8-5 road win for St. John's over Paul VI on Thursday in Fairfax.

"I knew we just had to get a base runner," said Farber of his tape-measure homer. "I was just up there trying to get on base and it just happened to go out."

Added third-year Cadets coach Mark Gibbs, whose entire roster features just five seniors, two among starting position players: "To give up a big inning and to come back like that and respond is good for a young team.

"Any time you do that in this conference, it's a boost coming out in the next innings, especially for the pitcher."

That pitcher, University of Maryland commitment Jimmy Reed, found his rhythm after a shaky first inning.

Reed, a senior, retired nine of the next 10 batters he faced and threw 45 of his next 54 pitches for strikes.

Altogether, Reed lasted four and two-thirds innings, gave up two earned runs -- both in the first inning -- while striking out eight Panthers and walking none. Of his 97 total pitches, 75 were strikes.

"Coach always stresses first-pitch strikes," said Reed, who threw first-pitch strikes to 17 of the 22 batters he faced. "If you get that -- if you get the first pitch down for a strike -- your numbers will always be positive."

Still, the player most satisfied with his numbers on the night was likely Farber. He finished 3-for-4 at the plate, with two runs batted in, two runs scored and was a triple shy of the cycle.

And had it not been for the speed of Paul VI right fielder Robbie Kidd, who covered substantial ground to catch a Farber line drive to the gap in the top of seventh inning, the St. John's catcher might have had his elusive three-base hit.

"I was really just looking for the first pitch," said Farber, who had three of the Cadets' seven total hits. "Coach always tells us to be aggressive, go after the first one early in the count."

Added Gibbs, who has a 50-15 career record at St. John's: "He was seeing the ball well tonight and has been seeing the ball well for the last week and swinging the bat well. He came up for us in a crunch tonight.

"The home run in the second inning was big. He had four great plate appearances tonight." 

Email: pmurphy@digitalsports.com


St. John's   (7-2)   031 130 0 -- 8  7  3
Paul VI         (5-4)   200 200 1 -- 5  8  5

Win - Jimmy Reed
Loss - Jonathan Bitto
Save - Eric Meleney

Pitchers: 
SJC - Reed - 4.2 IP, 2 ER, 7 H, 8 K, 0 BB
SJC - Meleney - 2.1 IP, ER, H, 3 K, 3 BB, HBP
PVI - Bitto - 3 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 3 K, BB
PVI - Mancari - 1.1 IP, 0 ER, H, K, BB
PVI - Marks - .1 IP, 0 ER, H, K, 2 BB
PVI - Conyngham - 2.1 IP, 0 ER, H, K, 0 BB
Pitches - Strikes:
SJC - Reed - 97-75; Meleney - 42-25.
PVI - Bitto - 45-27; Mancari - 34-19; Marks - 25-11; Conyngham - 27-19.
Groundouts - Flyouts:
SJC - Reed - 5-1; Meleney - 3-1.
PVI - Bitto - 2-3; Mancari - 2-0; Marks - 0-0; Conyngham - 2-3.
Batters Faced - First-Pitch Strikes:
SJC - Reed - 22-17; Meleney - 11-6.
PVI - Bitto - 13-8; Mancari - 7-5; Marks - 5-2; Conyngham - 8-4.
Notable Batters: 
SJC - Farber - 3-4, HR, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R
SJC - Kirsch - 1-3, HR, 2 RBI, R
SJC - Boyd - 1-3, 2B, 2 SB, R
SJC - Flowers - 0-2, 2 BB, 3 SB, 2 R
SJC - Leemhuis - 1-2, BB, SB, R
PVI - Mateos - 2-4, 2B, 2 R, K
PVI - Veeder - 1-2, 2B, 2 RBI, K
PVI - C. Morgan - 1-3, 3B, BB, SB
PVI - Puentes - 1-3, RBI, BB, K
Runners Left on Base: 
SJC - 3
PVI - 7
Time of Game: 
2 hours, 44 minutes.