St. John’s Captures the Program’s 11th BIG EAST Baseball Championship - Big East Conference Skip To Main Content

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St. John’s Captures the Program’s 11th BIG EAST Baseball Championship

MASON, Ohio – St. John’s took care of business Sunday morning in the 2026 BIG EAST Baseball Championship Presented by Jeep at Prasco Park, securing a 5-3 win. The win marks a conference record 11th BIG EAST title for the Red Storm and second in three seasons.
 
After a scoreless opening inning, Creighton got on the board when sophomore second baseman Nick Venteicher collected a sacrifice fly to send junior catcher Connor Capece home for the first score of the game.
 
In the top of the second inning, graduate third baseman Rocco Gump smashed his third home run of the tournament, to push the Bluejays in front 2-0, before St. John’s right fielder Cristian Bernardini hit a solo shot to left field to cut the deficit in half.
 
The Bluejays jumped back in front by two off an RBI single by Gump in the top of the fourth, before the Red Storm surged back to take a lead they would not look back on.
 
St. John’s evened the score in the bottom of the fourth with a pair of runs, before adding two more in the bottom of the seventh to put the game away.
 
Despite the setback, Gump captured the 2026 Jack Kaiser Award, as the tournament’s most outstanding player. He capped the weekend with 10 hits, three home runs, two triples, nine RBI and six runs scored.
 
2026 BIG EAST All-Tournament Team
Jackson Marshall, UConn, So. INF
Connor Capece, Creighton, Jr., C
Rocco Gump, Creighton, Gr., INF
Shea Wendt, Creighton, Jr., RHP
Will Cowan, St. John’s, So., DH
Shaun McMillan, St. John’s, So., INF
Liam O’Leary, St. John’s, Jr., RHP
Jayder Raifstanger, St. John’s, Jr., INF
Lewis Rodriguez, St. John’s, Jr., OF
Ryan Piech, Xavier, Jr., RHP
Jorge Valdes, Xavier, So., OF
 
2026 Jack Kaiser Award
Rocco Gump, Creighton, Gr., INF
 
2026 BIG EAST Baseball Championship Schedule
Thursday, May 21 (ESPN+)
Game 1: No. 1 seed St. John’s 4, No. 4 seed Creighton 2
Game 2: No. 3 seed Xavier 5, No. 2 UConn 1
Game 3: No. 4 seed Creighton 7, No. 2 seed UConn 4 (Elimination Game)

Saturday, May 23 (ESPN+)
Game 4: No. 1 seed St. John's 17, No. 3 seed Xavier 6
Game 5: No. 4 seed Creighton 7, No. 3 seed Xavier 4 (Elimination Game)

Sunday, May 24 (ESPN+)
Game 6: No. 1 seed St. John’s 5, No. 4 seed Creighton  3