St. John’s Falls to Fairfield, 5-4

Tuesday, May 14

Queens, N.Y. (Jack Kaiser Stadium)

1 p.m.

St. John's University

33-14-1

Fairfield

30-21

Fairfield

St. John's

5/14/2024 4:08:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Cristian Bernardini smacks third home run of the season, part of a three-RBI day

QUEENS, N.Y. - The St. John's baseball team (33-14-1) fell to Fairfield (30-21), 5-4, on Tuesday afternoon at Jack Kaiser Stadium.

Freshman Cristian Bernardini unloaded a three-RBI day at the dish, smacking his third homer run of the season in the contest. Seven of the team's nine batters registered a base knock on Tuesday with Jimmy Keenan and Paul Orbon logging a multi-hit day at the dish.

The Stags pushed one run across in the opening frame on a RBI single by Matt Bucciero to go up 1-0.

St. John's quickly retaliated in the home half of the first, tying the game at one. Scavelli smacked a leadoff double to left-center before coming around to score on an identical two-base knock to the gap by Mayberry for a 1-1 deadlock.

After blank second and third frames, Fairfield knocked in two more runs in the top of the fourth to take a 3-1 lead.

Once again, the Johnnies clapped back in the bottom of the frame with two tallies of their own. Following a walk to Paul Orbon, Bernardini clocked a 0-1 pitch and launched a 387-foot rocket over the left-center wall for a two-run shot, tying the game at three.

The tandem of Chris Batuyios and Jacob Ruiz shut down the Stags' lineup in the fifth and sixth innings, tossing back-to-back scoreless frames for the Red Storm.

Fairfield broke through again in the top of the seventh, scoring two more runs on a sacrifice fly and an RBI single to take a 5-3 edge.

St. John's loaded the bases following three straight singles from Keenan and the Orbon brothers. Bernardini drove in his third run of the game with a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Keenan and bringing the Johnnies within one, 5-4.

Tim Cunningham made his 97^th relief appearance on Tuesday, striking out two batters in his lone inning of action in the eighth stanza. Jed Boyle followed suit with three punchouts in his perfect frame of work in the ninth.

Fairfield staved off the Red Storm in the home half of the final frame to hold on for the one-run victory.

The Johnnies will wrap up the 2024 regular season this weekend when Georgetown comes to Jack Kaiser Stadium for its final BIG EAST series, beginning on Thursday. First pitch from Queens is scheduled for 6 p.m. St. John's needs one win over the Hoyas to clinch a top-two seed in the tournament.