St. John’s Edges NJIT, 8-7

Sunday, March 9

Queens, N.Y. (Kaiser Stadium)

1 p.m.

St. John's University

3-10

NJIT

6-8

NJIT

St. John's

3/9/2025 5:51:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Highlights

Jayder Raifstanger hit the go-ahead RBI single in the eighth inning

QUEENS, N.Y. – Jayder Raifstanger hit the go-ahead RBI single in the eighth inning, as the St. John's baseball team (3-10) took down NJIT (6-8), 8-7, in Sunday afternoon's rubber match at Jack Kaiser Stadium.

Raifstanger went 2-for-3 on the day, picking up two runs with an RBI and a hit-by-pitch. The sophomore has been on fire since the start of the season, leading the Red Storm with a .440/.533/.700 slash line, 22 hits, five doubles and 12 RBIs.

Shaun McMillan continued the impressive start to his collegiate career, tallying a double and a home run with two RBIs, a run scored and a walk on Sunday. The freshman paces the Johnnies with three homers on the year.

Jon LeGrande led the Red Storm with three runs batted in, alongside two hits, two stolen bases and a score. Jared Beebe chipped in a triple and an RBI against the Highlanders.

Victor Frederick showed out in his first career start, only letting up two runs (one earned) on three hits with three strikeouts across 4.2 innings of work.

NJIT put a run on the board in the top of the first inning. Ty Sallie hit a one-out double into right field and tagged up, moving to third on a flyout. The Highlander's Andrew Eppinger knocked a base hit up the middle, giving them an early 1-0 lead.

The Johnnies put a pair of runners in scoring position in the bottom of the first, following Raifstanger getting hit by a pitch and McMillan smacking a double into left field. NJIT's left fielder robbed a hit from the Red Storm, making a catch at the wall and retiring the side.

The Highlanders added another score to its total in the top of the second stanza. NJIT's Jaden Caballero worked a walk before moving to third base on a St. John's fielding miscue. A fielder's choice brought Caballero home and increased the away team's lead to 2-0.

The Red Storm cut its deficit in half in the bottom of the third inning. After Raifstanger blooped a single into shallow center field, Beebe smacked his second RBI triple in as many games to deep right-center, plating Raifstanger to trail by one, 2-1.

The Johnnies went ahead and grabbed the lead in the fourth frame. Will Cowan singled through the right side and worked his way to third base off a groundout and a passed ball. Adam Agresti was then plunked and advanced to second on a wild pitch, right before LeGrande brought both runners home off a single through the right side, giving St. John's a 3-2 edge.

McMillan clobbered a two-run homer into left field, hitting the foul pole and sending Raifstanger around the bases, who reached on a hit-by-pitch, increasing the Red Storm's lead to three, 5-2, in the fifth inning.

In the top of the sixth, NJIT's Austin Francis reached on a fielder's choice and moved to third on a single, one out later. The Highlanders chopped the home lead down to two, 5-3, as Francis came around to score on a passed ball. After a scoreless seventh frame, NJIT scored four more runs behind RBI doubles from Eppinger, Francis and Jack Stead, taking a late 7-5 advantage.

The Johnnies jumped back in front with a three-run eighth inning. Agresti smacked a double past third base to lead off the frame and moved to third on a single from Anthony Brienza. Brienza stole second base before LeGrande hit a single to first, bringing Agresti home. Jackson Tucker then bunted for an RBI single, outrunning the throw to reach and score Brienza, ahead of a Raifstanger base knock that plated LeGrande, giving the Red Storm a slim 8-7 advantage.

Jed Boyle was able to get the final three outs needed in the top of the ninth, as the Johnnies claimed the game and the series.

The Red Storm will be back in action on Tuesday when it travels to Stony Brook for a midweek matchup. First pitch from Joe Nathan Field is scheduled for 3 p.m.