St. John’s Edges Rider, 10-9

Saturday, March 16

Queens, N.Y. (Kaiser Stadium)

1 p.m.

St. John's University

12-4

Rider

2-12

Rider

St. John's

3/16/2024 5:29:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Center fielder Jackson Tucker saves game throwing out tying run at the dish in the ninth

QUEENS, N.Y. – The St. John's baseball team held on for a 10-9 victory over Rider at Jack Kaiser Stadium as center fielder Jackson Tucker throws out the game-tying run at the dish in the final frame. The one-run victory also extended the Red Storm (12-4) winning streak to nine games.

The Red Storm held a 10-7 advantage going into the ninth, but the Broncs (2-12) threatened and scored two runs with no outs. With runners on first and second, the Johnnies forced a flyout before a wild pitch advanced runners 90 feet. Kyle Neri thought he knotted the game with an RBI single up the middle, but Tucker had other plans with a laser from center field. The Staten Island native hit catcher Jimmy Keenan slightly up the third-base line, who swiped the heels of pinch runner Matt Sheppard at the dish and denied the tying run from scoring. St. John's forced Rider's Matt Leahy to line out to short for the final out and secured the win.

The leadoff batter reached base in seven of the team's eight innings on offense. Designated hitter Paul Orbon led the Red Storm with a 2-for-3 showing at the dish with two walks and a pair of RBIs.

Outfielder Ben Beauchamp smacked his second homer of the season and tallied three runs. The Rochester, N.Y., native also went 2-for-3 at the dish, marking the sixth straight game with multiple hits and runs scored. Anthony Brienza also logged his sixth consecutive game with a tally.

Luke Orbon registered a pair of runs in the contest, while Blake Mayberry drove in two tallies of his own.

After a scoreless opening frame, the Johnnies secured a 2-0 edge in the bottom of the second. The Red Storm loaded the bases on consecutive walks to Keenan and both Orbon brothers. Aude slapped an 0-1 offering into center field, knocking in the lead runners and moving Paul up to second.

The Broncs responded quickly with two tallies of their own in the third, seeing Anthony Paskell clear the bases with a triple and tying the game at two.

St. John's reclaimed its lead in the home half of the frame after Beauchamp reached on a walk and swiped second. Mayberry laced a 3-1 pitch up the middle, knocking in the Johnnies' right fielder and securing a 3-2 advantage.

Both teams were blanked in the fourth as Red Storm starter Evan Chaffee conducted his third 1-2-3 frame of the day, keeping the ball in the infield for all three putouts. The Johnnies' starter secured his first collegiate win after tossing five innings and striking out five on 84 pitches.

The Red Storm tacked on three runs in the bottom of the fifth, starting with a 376-foot solo shot from Beauchamp to double the lead, 4-2. After Luke Orbon reached on a fielder's choice, Paul launched a 393-foot homer over the left-field wall to go up four, 6-2.

The Johnnies continued to rack up runs in the sixth, putting a three-spot on the board. Following a leadoff double by Scavelli, Brienza floated an RBI single over the shortstop's head for a 7-2 lead. The Red Storm loaded the bases capitalizing on a sacrifice fly and a walk to make it a seven-run advantage through six innings.

Rider chipped away at the Red Storm lead with two runs in each of the final three innings before falling in the ninth.

St. John's will return to action on Sunday for its series finale against Rider at Jack Kaiser Stadium. First pitch from Queens is slated for 1 p.m.