MASON, Ohio – In the first semifinal contest of the 2024 BIG EAST Baseball Championship Presented by JEEP, No. 2 seed St. John’s stamped its place in the BIG EAST title game with an, 8-7, win over No. 4 seed Xavier Thursday night at Prasco Park.
 
For a BIG EAST record 14^th time and first since 2018, St. John’s returns to the BIG EAST Championship game and will await the winner of Friday’s second semifinal game between Xavier and No. 3 seed Georgetown Saturday at 12 p.m. on FS1. If necessary, a rubber match is slated for 3:30 p.m. on FS2.
 
The Red Storm got off to a blazing 3-0 start in the bottom of the first, beginning with a ground out RBI by Jimmy Keenan and Jackson Tucker scoring. Moments later, Marty Higgins doubled to left center and picked up an RBI with Garrett Scavelli scoring. Higgins rounded out the scoring following a single by Paul Orbon.
 
Xavier responded with three runs of its own in the top of the second. Stepping up to the plate with the bases loaded, Matt DePrey singled to right field to send Matt McCormick home for the Musketeers first tally of the night. On the very next at bat, Grant Stephenson collected a two-rbi single, with Luke Hammond and Carter Hendrickson both scoring and tying the game at 3-3.
 
The scoring run continued into the bottom of the second, with the Johnnies jumping back in front 5-3 on a pair of RBI singles. First, Scavelli placed a perfect grounder up the middle to send Luke Orbon home, before Keenan took advantage of a defensive shift with a hit through the right side to send Scavelli home.
 
After a scoreless third inning, Xavier cut the deficit to one run with a bases loaded fielders’ choice to send Luke Hammond home in a 5-4 contest.
 
Xavier regained the lead in the top of the fifth, adding three more runs, beginning with a two-rbi bunt by DePrey. Hendrickson and McCormick both scored to give the Musketeers a 6-5 lead, before Aedan Anderson singled to left center allowing Hammond to score and make it 7-5.
 
In the bottom of the fifth, St. John’s pulled back within a run scored by Ben Beauchamp reaching base after Jackson Tucker reached on a throwing error to first.
 
Moments later, Xavier catcher DePrey picked off the runner at third base for the second out of the inning, before running down a hit on the very next at bat and making the throw out at first to close out the inning and maintain a 7-6 lead for the Musketeers.
 
Following two and a half scoreless innings with several defensive gems, it was the Johnnies who struck back with the 16th total lead change of the BIG EAST Championship. Keenan sent a rocket down the left field line, clearing the wall and sending Scavelli home for an 8-7 advantage.
 
On the mound to close it out, Ben Adams threw three consecutive strikeouts in the top of the ninth to send the Red Storm into jubilation.
 
Adams collected the win with 3.0 innings of scoreless innings pitched, allowing just two hits and striking out three.
 
Xavier will return to the field Friday at 3 p.m. ET against Georgetown on the BIG EAST Digital Network on FloSports Presented by Jeep.