St. John’s Outslugs Villanova, 13-3, in Seven Innings

Sunday, May 7

Queens, N.Y. (Kaiser Stadium)

1 p.m.

St. John's University

23-23, 0

Villanova

13-32, 0

Villanova

St. John's

St. John’s Outslugs Villanova, 13-3, in Seven Innings

5/7/2023 4:42:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Jace Jeremiah, Aaron Mann and Luke Orbon tally three-plus RBIs apiece against Wildcats

QUEENS, N.Y. – Three players racked up three or more RBIs in the St. John's baseball team's 13-3 triumph, in seven innings, over Villanova at Jack Kaiser Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

The right side of the infield had a spectacular day at the dish. First baseman Aaron Mann smacked three doubles in Sunday's contest, becoming the first player to do so since Rudy Aguilar against Kansas on March 17, 2019. The Little Rock, Ark., native also chipped in four RBIs and four runs scored, part of a perfect 3-for-3 showing to go with a walk and hit-by-pitch.

Second baseman Luke Orbon registered three RBIs and a run scored in his 3-for-4 showing at the Jack. Orbon and Mann each provided run-producing hits in the first, second and fifth innings.

Sophomore Jace Jeremiah also racked up three RBIs of his own with one swing, logging his first career triple on Sunday.

Tate Ballestero registered only one official at-bat against the Wildcats, drawing three walks, logging an RBI and matching David Glancy and Austin Machado with two runs scored.

Despite going two limited innings on Sunday, starter Xavier Kolhosser picked up his third win with a pair of strikeouts, allowing just one hit on the afternoon. The righty has not surrendered a run in 11.0 frames of BIG EAST play this season.

The Johnnies (23-23, 4-10 BIG EAST) jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the opening frame. After Jackson Tucker singled and swiped second, Machado ripped the first offering he saw up the middle to put runners on the corners. Two pitches later, Mann roped a double to the right-center gap, knocking in both runners for a 2-0 edge. With the bases juiced following an RBI poke from Orbon and a walk to Keenan, Jeremiah cleared them with a three-bagger to left for a six-run advantage.

St. John's continued to pour it on in the second with a two-spot on nearly identical hits from its fourth and sixth hitters. Mann smacked a double to the same spot in right-center after Machado was plunked for a 7-0 lead. Orbon found a seam through the right side to knock in Mann, giving the Red Storm an eight-run cushion.

Villanova (13-32, 7-10 BIG EAST) broke through in the top of the third on an RBI double from Craig Larsen. However, the Johnnies retaliated in the home half with a bases-loaded walk to Ballestero, reclaiming an eight-run advantage, 9-1.

Both teams were held off the board in the fourth before a two-run fifth inning for the Wildcats brought them within six, 9-3.

The Red Storm countered with two tallies of their own in the bottom of the fifth, thanks in part to Mann's third run-producing double and another Orbon RBI single to right to go up, 11-3.

Reliever Tyler Roche settled in with a perfect sixth inning to keep the Wildcats at bay before getting himself out of trouble in the seventh by stranding runners on second and third. The Bronx native earned his first career save after allowing just one unearned run on four hits and striking out two.

St. John's turned it on for the eventual final frame as Mann worked a one-out walk, followed by Ballestero taking a pitch off the ankle for a first-and-second opportunity. Anthony Brienza, who came on as a defensive replacement two innings prior, laced an RBI single up the middle to take a nine-run advantage. After both Ballestero and Brienza advanced 90 feet on a wild pitch, Jimmy Keenan dropped a 3-1 pitch inside the foul line behind first base for the game-winner, enforcing the BIG EAST's 10-run rule on getaway day for a 13-3 victory.

The Johnnies will return to action on Wednesday when they celebrate Senior Day against Iona. First pitch from Jack Kaiser Stadium is slated for 6 p.m.