Anthony Brienza Walks Off in St. John’s 10-9 Extra-Inning Victory over Penn

Saturday, June 1

Charlottesville, Va. (Ted Davenport Field at Disharoon Park)

12 p.m.

St. John's University

38-17-1

Penn

24-25

Penn

St. John's (NY)

Anthony Brienza delivered the Red Storm's fourth walk-off of the season, advancing St. John's in the elimination bracket with a 10-9 victory over Penn inside Disharoon Park on Saturday.

Photo by: Keith Lucas/Sideline Media

Anthony Brienza Walks Off in St. John’s 10-9 Extra-Inning Victory over Penn

6/1/2024 6:52:00 PM | Baseball

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The Red Storm advances in elimination bracket to face loser of Virginia/Mississippi State

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (June 1, 2024) – Trailing by as many as three in the final two innings, second baseman Anthony Brienza completed the St. John's baseball team's comeback with a walk-off RBI single in the 12^th inning, lifting the Red Storm over Penn, 10-9, to advance in the elimination bracket on Saturday.

The Johnnies (38-17-1) were facing a 9-6 deficit heading into the home half of the eighth. Center fielder Jackson Tucker turned on a 1-0 offering from Penn's Carson Ozmer and smacked his first home run since April 14, a two-run shot over the left-center wall to pull within one, 9-8.

Garrett Scavelli negated all of the Quakers' momentum in the ninth frame, robbing a homer for the second time in as many games, this time doubling up the runner at first to end the stanza. Jimmy Keenan unloaded his 12^th home run of the season in the home half of the ninth, knotting the game at nine.

After both teams were held off the board in the 10^th and 11^thinnings, St. John's came up clutch with two outs in the 12^th frame. Shortstop Luke Orbon drew a four-pitch walk before swiping second to put himself in scoring position. Behind on an 0-2 count, Brienza squared up on a fastball from Will Tobin and drilled an RBI single into open space to the left of second base to end the four-hour, three-minute contest.

Brienza became the fourth Johnnie this season to provide a walk-off win, joining Ben Beauchamp, Aidan Cohall and Keenan to deliver the final blow. The Marlboro, N.J., native was one of four Red Storm players to drive in two RBIs on the afternoon. Tucker posted a 4-for-6 day at the dish with three runs and a pair of RBIs. Keenan and Scavelli also drove in two runs of their own.

Saturday's contest posted historic measures, marking the team's first win over an Ivy League opponent in the national tournament and tying the longest NCAA postseason game in program history since St. John's Frank Viola and Yale's Ron Darling dueled through 12 innings on May 21, 1981, to a 1-0 win in favor of the Johnnies.

The Quakers (24-25) threatened in the opening frame, putting runners on first and second with back-to-back singles. Red Storm starter Mario Pesca remained calm and forced his third groundout to Brienza at second base to end the inning.

The Red Storm countered in the home half of the frame following a leadoff single by Tucker. After swiping second and tagging up on a fly out to left, Blake Mayberry knocked in the game's first run on a sacrifice fly to right-center to go up 1-0.

Penn knotted the game at one in the top of the second with an RBI groundout from Nate Polo before both squads were held off the board in the third.

Pesca induced his first 1-2-3 inning of the afternoon in the visiting half of the fourth before St. John's offense broke through in the bottom part of the frame. After a leadoff single by Mayberry, Keenan roped a 3-2 pitch into the right-center alleyway and knocked in the Johnnies' third baseman to take a 2-1 edge. Keenan advanced to third on a balk and scored on the ensuing pitch with Paul Orbon roping a sacrifice fly to center for a 3-1 lead.

The Johnnies knocked in two more runs in the fifth, taking a 5-1 advantage. Tucker laced a one-out double into right-center before swiping third. Behind on an 0-2 count, Scavelli smacked a two-run shot off the top of the left-center wall and over for a four-run edge.

The Quakers cut its deficit to three, 5-2, in the top of the sixth with a sacrifice fly to left by Connor Chavez.

St. John's loaded the bases in the home half of the frame with consecutive walks to Higgins and Ben Beauchamp before Luke Orbon lined a single in front of Penn's center fielder Ryan Taylor. After the Johnnies chased reliever Danny Heintz, Brienza took the first offering from Carson Ozmer off the knee and knocked in one run to go up four, 6-2.

Penn took advantage of a Red Storm error with two outs in the seventh, knocking in seven runs to take a 9-6 lead.

The Red Storm chipped away in the eighth after Luke Orbon drew a one-out walk. Two batters later, Tucker ripped a 1-0 offering over the left-center wall to bring the Johnnies within one, 9-8.

Penn did not go down quietly in the ninth, putting a runner on before Scavelli robbed his second homer in as many NCAA Tournament games, this time doubling up the runner at first to end the frame.

St. John's erased the three-run deficit in the ninth with a solo shot off the bat of Keenan, launching his 12^th of the year over the left-center wall to knot the game a nine and force extras.

The tandem of Sam Mettert and Jed Boyle managed to hold Penn without a hit over the final four innings of the game, each tossing two frames apiece. Brienza delivered the game-winning blow in the bottom of the 12^th, lifting St. John's to a 10-9 victory and advancing in the elimination bracket.

The Johnnies will take on Mississippi State in the elimination bracket on Sunday. First pitch from Davenport Field at Disharoon Park is slated for noon ET with broadcast information to be determined.