St. John’s to Welcome Iona in 2024 Home Debut on Tuesday; Start Time Changed to 6 p.m.

Tuesday, March 5

Queens, N.Y. (Kaiser Stadium)

6 p.m.

St. John's University

Iona

St. John’s to Welcome Iona in 2024 Home Debut on Tuesday; Start Time Changed to 6 p.m.

3/4/2024 4:07:00 PM | Baseball

Live Stats Watch (FloSports)Game Notes (PDF)

Red Storm and Gaels will square off for the 73rd time in program history

QUEENS, N.Y. – Returning from Texas with a series win against Sam Houston over the weekend, the St. John's baseball team (4-4) will make its home debut on Tuesday when Iona (2-7) makes its way to Jack Kaiser Stadium. First pitch for tomorrow's contest has been pushed back to 6 p.m., due to potential inclement weather during the afternoon.

FloSports will broadcast the contest between the Red Storm and the Gaels, with St. John's fans being provided a discounted link for its services. Live stats will be provided on RedStormSports.com.

Jack Kaiser Stadium will play host to 16 of the Red Storm's next 17 games, including 11 straight contests before heading to Fordham on March 23.

St. John's utilized an all-around effort to secure its series victory at Sam Houston over the weekend. Xavier Kolhosser alongside relievers Ben Adams, Tim Cunningham and Sam Mettert halted the Bearkats' five-game winning streak with a combined 4-0 shutout on Friday.

It was the team's first road shutout, 4-0, since May 8, 2022, blanking Seton Hall (6-0) in New Jersey. St. John's joined Creighton as the only two BIG EAST teams to log a shutout through three weekends.

The Johnnies closed its 10-game road trip with a 6-5 extra-inning thrilled against Sam Houston. The Red Storm utilized a three-RBI day from Luke Orbon, including a game-winning double in the 10th, to secure a 6-5 victory in the rubber match. Blake Mayberry also chipped in two RBIs and Adam Agresti logged a season-best 4-for-5 showing at the dish.

The Red Storm are among the conference's top teams in several categories with 21 doubles (2nd) eight double plays (3rd), and a .979 fielding percentage (3rd). Adams has been electric out of the pen for St. John's. In 8.1 innings of work across four appearances, the southpaw has surrendered just one run. Adams enters Tuesday's contest ranked second in the BIG EAST and 57th in the country with a 1.08 ERA. The lefty's 0.96 WHIP also leads the BIG EAST.

St. John's holds a 61-11 record over the Gaels in a series that dates back to the 1956 campaign. The Johnnies knocked off the Gaels twice by a score of 13-3 in seven innings last season. With the two wins, St. John's has emerged victorious in 15 straight games against Iona. The Red Storm has not allowed more than four runs to the Gaels during its winning streak.

In their last meeting on May 10, 2023, Marty Higgins and Aaron Mann each smacked a home run and drove in three runs on Senior Day, while Andrew Castelluccio picked up his second win of the season.

Iona is fresh off its first series victory of the season, earning a pair of wins at Navy. The Gaels utilized a six-run third innings and scoreless final 4.2 innings of work from its bullpen to secure an 8-4 victory, its first of the year.

After falling 12-3 in game two, Iona stunned Navy, 8-7, in extras following a game-winning RBI single in the 10th by sophomore Nickolas Mora. Senior James Kemp scored the winning run, his third of the afternoon.

Josiah Ragsdale ranks first in the MAAC with a .424 batting average, second with five doubles and third with 14 RBIs.

Following the midweek matchup, St. John's will take on Hofstra in a three-game series at Jack Kaiser Stadium, beginning on Friday. First pitch for game one is slated for 3 p.m.