St. John’s Falls to Houston, 12-6

Friday, February 23

Houston, Texas (Sanders Field at Schroeder Park)

7:30 p.m.

St. John's University

1-1

Houston

5-0

St. John's

Houston

2/23/2024 10:59:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Jackson Tucker and Ben Beauchamp recorded two hits for the Red Storm

HOUSTON – The St. John's baseball team fell to Houston, 12-6, in the first game of its three-game series at Sanders Field at Schroeder Park on Friday night.

            Jackson Tucker finished 2-for-4 behind the plate with two RBIs and a run scored. Ben Beauchamp went 2-for-4 for the Red Storm, bringing in a run and scoring one himself. Marty Higgins also chipped in two RBIs.

            The Johnnies kicked things off with a Tucker leadoff single on the second pitch of the game. Jaxon Selkin struck out Garrett Scavelli but Blake Mayberry smacked a single through the right side to give the Red Storm runners at the corners with one out. Selkin found his groove for the Cougars, striking out the side leaving two stranded for St. John's (1-1).

            Houston (5-0) immediately broke the game open after Red Storm starting pitcher Xavier Kolhosser walked two and gave up two straight hits, giving the Cougars a 3-0 lead with no outs. Houston grew its lead to 4-0 off of a fielder's choice, but Kolhosser was able to engineer two consecutive outs to end the first frame.

            After retiring St. John's in order at the top of the second inning, Houston loaded the bases with one out. Kolhosser worked himself out of the jam, producing a critical double play to keep the game at four runs.

            The Cougars tacked on another run in the bottom of the third frame off a Red Storm throwing error, growing their lead to 5-0.

            After trading outs in the fourth inning, St. John's put together a two-run rally to cut their deficit to three. Adam Agresti laid down a bunt with one out in the top of the fifth before Jace Jeremiah worked a two-strike walk. Both Jeremiah and Agresti advanced to second and third off of a wild pitch, while Anthony Brienza was plunked to load the bases. Tucker mashed a two-run single into left center, bringing.a pair of runners home and cutting Houston's lead to three, 5-2.

            The Cougars added a six spot in the home half of the fifth. With two outs and the bases loaded, Houston added three runs off of a sacrifice fly to left field and a two-run infield single. Justin Murray contributed a three-run home run, extending the Cougars lead to 11-2.

            Houston added another run in the bottom of the sixth, growing their lead to 10 off a home run from Ace Reese.

            Scavelli smashed a stand-up RBI double to right center in the away side of the seventh inning, bringing Tucker home and cutting the Houston lead down to nine, 12-3.

            After a blank bottom of the seventh, Cougars' pitcher Cade Citelli walked Max Aude and Chad Falcon to kick off the eighth. Beauchamp doubled down the left field line to score Aude and cut down the squad's deficit to eight, 12-4.

            In his season debut, Chuck Sanzio shut down Houston in the home half of the eighth. After allowing a double to Reese, the senior sat down his next three batters to retire the side heading into the final frame.

            With one out in the ninth, St. John's notched straight two walks to put runners on first and second. Higgins looped a two-run double into left center, plating Paul Orbon and Scavelli. Diego Luzardo was able to close out the game for the Cougars with two final outs to end the frame.

            The Red Storm will be back in action at Sanders Field at Schroeder Park to battle against Houston on Saturday night. First pitch is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.