Jackson Tucker Hits for the Cycle in Baseball’s 7-5 Victory over Butler

Friday, May 19

Indianapolis, Ind. (Bulldog Park)

3 p.m.

St. John's University

27-25, 7-12

Butler

12-42, 5-15

St. John's

Butler

Jackson Tucker Hits for the Cycle in Baseball’s 7-5 Victory over Butler

5/19/2023 6:11:00 PM | Baseball

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Tucker becomes the first player with a cycle since Kevin Michaels against Sacred Heart in 2022

QUEENS, N.Y. – Sophomore Jackson Tucker hit for the cycle in the Red Storm's 7-5 victory over Butler on Friday at Bulldog Park.

The Red Storm right fielder whacked a triple in the second and a home run in the fourth before singling in the seventh and doubling in his final at-bat for the team's first cycle since Kevin Michaels against Sacred Heart on March 20, 2022. Tucker registered his second dinger of the year while posting two tallies and an RBI on Friday.

The Johnnies (27-25, 7-12 BIG EAST) rattled off 16 hits on the afternoon, five of which, including Tucker, posted multi-hit contests.

Michaels put forth a 3-for-4 performance against the Bulldogs, logging two runs scored on the afternoon. Tate Ballestero blasted his 10^th home run of the season, part of a 1-for-4 day with two RBIs.

Marty Higgins also racked up three hits against the Bulldogs, driving in one run and drawing one walk. Jace Jeremiah and Paul Orbon rounded out those with more than one hit, recording two base knocks apiece in the contest.

Both teams were held off the board through the first three frames as Red Storm starter Sonny Fauci held the Bulldogs (11-42, 5-15 BIG EAST) to just three hits over that span and struck out four.

The Johnnies broke through with a three-run fourth frame. After a walk to Jimmy Keenan, Ballestero launched a 2-2 pitch to right field for a two-run shot. Four pitches later, Tucker belted a solo shot for a 3-0 lead in favor of the Red Storm. The back-to-back jacks were the first from the Red Storm since Ballestero and David Glancy against William & Mary on March 31.

From the fourth inning on, Fauci battled the Bulldogs' lineup, retiring the side in order in the fourth and sixth despite allowing just one run in the fifth, 5-2. The Old Bridge, N.J. native wrapped up his career-high seven-inning outing with six strikeouts, surrendering just two runs on six hits.

After the Bulldogs tallied one more run in the seventh, the Johnnies responded with one in the eighth on a wild pitch, seeing Michaels bolt to the dish for a 6-2 St. John's edge.

Butler squandered two runs in the bottom of the eighth with a two-run single from Scott Jones, pulling the Bulldogs within two, 6-4.

St. John's retaliated in the top of the ninth with an RBI single from Higgins to go up by three, 7-4. The Johnnies closed the door in the home half with Mario Pesca preventing the Bulldogs from scoring more than one run and earning his first collegiate save in a 7-5 victory.

The Red Storm will return to action against Butler on Saturday with first pitch from Bulldog Park slated for noon.