St. John's University Athletics
Friday, April 19
Queens, N.Y. (Kaiser Stadium)
6 p.m.
St. John's University
7
vs
1
Butler
Six-Run Sixth Propels St. John’s Past Butler, 7-1
4/19/2024 9:07:00 PM | Baseball
Garrett Scavelli and Jackson Tucker register three hits apiece in Friday’s win
QUEENS, N.Y. – The St. John's baseball team (24-8-1, 5-2) utilized a six-run sixth inning to secure a 7-1 victory over Butler (14-23, 1-6) inside Jack Kaiser Stadium on Friday.
Jackson Tucker extended his hitting streak to 16 games and his reached base safely stretch to 22 contests with a 3-for-5 showing at the dish. The Staten Island native also scored twice and drove in a run. Fellow outfielder Garrett Scavelli also chipped in three hits on the evening, smacking a triple along the way.
Third baseman Blake Mayberry drove in two runs as part of his 2-for-5 performance at the plate. Marty Higgins also chipped in a pair of base knocks on Friday.
Both teams engaged in a defensive war to open the game. Catcher Jimmy Keenan caught a runner stealing in each of the first two frames, marking his 19th caught stealing of the season. The White Plains native has had the most successful caught stealing attempts since 2014. Scavelli joined the assist club in the second stanza, throwing a perfect strike to second baseman Anthony Brienza and catching Butler's Billy Wurch trying to stretch a single into a double.
St. John's and Butler continued to engage in a scoreless battle over the next three innings, neither squad advancing past third base. Starter Kyle Chase tossed five blank innings, allowing just four hits and striking out five in his first career start at Jack Kaiser Stadium.
The Johnnies broke through in the bottom of the sixth, unloading six runs in the frame. After a one-out single from Higgins, Scavelli ripped a shot down the first-base line, pinballing in the right-field corner for an RBI triple and a 1-0 lead. Chad Falcon turned on a 1-0 pitch and found a hole through the right side for a one-run single to double the Red Storm edge. Following a walk to Brienza, Tucker slapped an RBI base knock to left for a 3-0 advantage. Two batters later, Mayberry clocked a single to right and drove in a pair of runs for a 5-0 edge. St. John's scored one more tally on a throwing error by the Bulldogs before inning's end.
Butler ended the shutout bid in the top of the seventh, scoring on a Wurch RBI double to pull within five, 6-1. The Bulldogs continued to threaten with the bases loaded but Louis Marinaro worked out of trouble and limited the opposition to just one run in the frame.
St. John's bumped its lead back to six with an RBI single from Ben Beauchamp, taking the first pitch he saw into left field for a 7-1 lead.
Reliever Tim Cunningham came on in the ninth and shut the door with a pair of strikeouts, lifting the Red Storm to a 15-1-1 mark at The Jack this season.
The Johnnies return to the diamond for game two against Butler on Saturday. First pitch from Jack Kaiser Stadium is slated for 3 p.m.
Jackson Tucker extended his hitting streak to 16 games and his reached base safely stretch to 22 contests with a 3-for-5 showing at the dish. The Staten Island native also scored twice and drove in a run. Fellow outfielder Garrett Scavelli also chipped in three hits on the evening, smacking a triple along the way.
Third baseman Blake Mayberry drove in two runs as part of his 2-for-5 performance at the plate. Marty Higgins also chipped in a pair of base knocks on Friday.
Both teams engaged in a defensive war to open the game. Catcher Jimmy Keenan caught a runner stealing in each of the first two frames, marking his 19th caught stealing of the season. The White Plains native has had the most successful caught stealing attempts since 2014. Scavelli joined the assist club in the second stanza, throwing a perfect strike to second baseman Anthony Brienza and catching Butler's Billy Wurch trying to stretch a single into a double.
St. John's and Butler continued to engage in a scoreless battle over the next three innings, neither squad advancing past third base. Starter Kyle Chase tossed five blank innings, allowing just four hits and striking out five in his first career start at Jack Kaiser Stadium.
The Johnnies broke through in the bottom of the sixth, unloading six runs in the frame. After a one-out single from Higgins, Scavelli ripped a shot down the first-base line, pinballing in the right-field corner for an RBI triple and a 1-0 lead. Chad Falcon turned on a 1-0 pitch and found a hole through the right side for a one-run single to double the Red Storm edge. Following a walk to Brienza, Tucker slapped an RBI base knock to left for a 3-0 advantage. Two batters later, Mayberry clocked a single to right and drove in a pair of runs for a 5-0 edge. St. John's scored one more tally on a throwing error by the Bulldogs before inning's end.
Butler ended the shutout bid in the top of the seventh, scoring on a Wurch RBI double to pull within five, 6-1. The Bulldogs continued to threaten with the bases loaded but Louis Marinaro worked out of trouble and limited the opposition to just one run in the frame.
St. John's bumped its lead back to six with an RBI single from Ben Beauchamp, taking the first pitch he saw into left field for a 7-1 lead.
Reliever Tim Cunningham came on in the ninth and shut the door with a pair of strikeouts, lifting the Red Storm to a 15-1-1 mark at The Jack this season.
The Johnnies return to the diamond for game two against Butler on Saturday. First pitch from Jack Kaiser Stadium is slated for 3 p.m.
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
RHP/OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
C
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
OF
/ BaseballSt. John's Baseball vs Villanova Highlights 5.11.25
Sunday, May 11
St. John's Baseball vs Villanova Highlights 5.10.25
Saturday, May 10
St. John's Baseball vs Iona Highlights 4.29.2025
Tuesday, April 29
St. John's Baseball vs Rutgers Highlights 4.22.2025
Tuesday, April 22