BIG EAST Championship Central
 
MASON, Ohio  – A five-run fifth inning for Xavier put the Musketeers ahead of St. John's for good, winning 11-3 in game five of the 2019 BIG EAST Baseball Championship Presented by Jeep at Prasco Park on Saturday afternoon.  The Musketeers (27-30) advance to Saturday night’s championship game (game 6) against No. 1 seed Creighton at 6 p.m.
 
The BIG EAST Digital Network Presented by SoFi will carry Saturday’s championship with John Fanta and Dave Popkin in the booth, Matt Schumacker will be in the booths.
 
It will be Xavier’s fourth championship series appearance. Xavier has won the title three times. The Musketeers have won the title in each tournament they have played in (2014, 2016, 2017).
 
If Xavier wins in the night-cap, it will force a game seven in the double elimination format, scheduled to be played Sunday.
 
St. John’s (31-23) scored twice to open the game before Xavier scored 11 unanswered runs.
 
Xavier erased the lead on a two-run homer for Luke Franzoni in the fourth, then took the lead on a five-run fifth, fueled by another two-run shot for Franzoni to go ahead 7-2. A Jake Shepski grand slam in the eighth put Xavier up nine, 11-2. SJU added a run in the ninth to set the final score at 11-3. Franzoni’s two homers tied a single-game tournament record. It was the second time this tournament the record was tied, Creighton’s David Vilches also accomplished the feat on Friday, also against St. John’s.
 
Franzoni went 2-of-4 at the plate with four RBI and two runs scored. Ryan Altenberger went 2-of-3 at the plate, collecting two RBI and scoring a pair. Conor Grammes went 2-of-4 with a walk, scoring a run. Jake Shepski collected four RBI on a grand slam, finishing 2-of-5 at the plate. Jack Housinger collected a pair of hits, going 2-of-4 with a run scored.
 
It was the 23rd winning season in 24 years for St. John’s under the direction of head coach Ed Blankmeyer. The 16-straight tournament appearance was also a conference-high. St. John’s junior Ryan Markey went 3-for-4 with an RBI.  Junior third baseman Carson Bartels also recorded a pair of hits, one of which was a double.  Designated hitter Brandon Miller doubled and drove in a run while Colin Wetterau logged a sac fly in his lone plate appearance.  Junior left fielder Mike Antico doubled and scored a run, closing his season with a .388 batting average, the highest by a St. John’s player since Troy Dixon won the BIG EAST batting title with a .394 average in 2017.
 
2019 BIG EAST Baseball Championship Presented By Jeep 
Thursday, May 23 – First Round
Game 1: No. 1 Creighton 10, No. 4 Seton Hall 9
Game 2: No. 3 St. John’s 2, No. 2 Xavier 0
 
Friday, May 24 – Second Round
Game 3: No. 2 Xavier 2, No. 4 Seton Hall 1
Game 4: No. 1 Creighton 17, No. 3 St. John’s 13
 
Saturday, May 25 – Semifinal (BEDN)
Game 5: No. 2 Xavier 11, No. 3 St. John’s 3
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME 6: No. 1 Creighton vs. No. 2 Xavier at 6 p.m. ET
 
Sunday, May 26 – Championship (FS2) – if necessary **
Game 7: Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner at 1 p.m. ET
**an If-necessary game will be played should the Game 4 winner lose in Game 6 **