St. John's University Athletics
Saturday, May 23
Mason, Ohio (Prasco Park)
2 p.m.
St. John's University
32-24
17
vs
6
Xavier
28-29
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xavier | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 11 | 1 |
| St. John's | 1 | 0 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | X | 17 | 18 | 1 |
Photo by: D'Andra Seymore / BIG EAST
Photo by: D'Andra Seymore / BIG EAST
Photo by: D'Andra Seymore / BIG EAST
Photo by: D'Andra Seymore / BIG EAST
Photo by: D'Andra Seymore / BIG EAST
Photo by: D'Andra Seymore / BIG EAST
Photo by: D'Andra Seymore / BIG EAST
Photo by: D'Andra Seymore / BIG EAST
Photo by: D'Andra Seymore / BIG EAST
Photo by: D'Andra Seymore / BIG EAST
Photo by: D'Andra Seymore / BIG EAST
Photo by: D'Andra Seymore / BIG EAST
Photo by: D'Andra Seymore / BIG EAST
Photo by: D'Andra Seymore / BIG EAST
Photo by: D'Andra Seymore / BIG EAST
Photo by: D'Andra Seymore / BIG EAST
Photo by: D'Andra Seymore / BIG EAST
Photo by: D'Andra Seymore / BIG EAST
Photo by: D'Andra Seymore / BIG EAST
Photo by: D'Andra Seymore / BIG EAST
Photo by: D'Andra Seymore / BIG EAST
Photo by: D'Andra Seymore / BIG EAST
Cowan Powers Top-Seeded St. John’s to 17-6 Win Over Xaiver, Advances to BIG EAST Tournament Title Game
5/23/2026 6:44:00 PM | Baseball
Red Storm’s 17 runs are the most scored in a BIG EAST Tournament game in program history
MASON, Ohio – A historic offensive outing has led the St. John's baseball team to the BIG EAST Tournament title game, behind a 17-6 win over third-seeded Xavier on Saturday afternoon at Prasco Park.
The 17 runs are the most in a BIG EAST Tournament game in program history, surpassing the previous mark of 15 runs set on May 17, 1986, against Providence. The 11-run margin of victory is the largest margin in a BIG EAST Tournament contest in program history, besting the previous mark of 10 which was done three times, most recently on May 23, 2012, against Notre Dame.
St. John's will make its 15th appearance in the BIG EAST Tournament title game, the most by any school in league history. The Johnnies hold a 13-8 record in the championship round.
The Red Storm (32-24, 15-6 BIG EAST) exploded for 11 runs over the third and fourth innings and tacked on four more in the sixth frame to power past Xavier (28-29, 15-6 BIG EAST). Will Cowan had a career day at the plate, notching his first multi-home run game and a career-high seven RBIs with a 3-for-5 day.
The Albertson, N.Y., native's seven RBIs are the most by a Johnnie this year and the most since David Glancy tallied eight against St. Peters on March 10, 2020, and the most by a St. John's player in a BIG EAST Tournament game in the last two decades.
All nine starters recorded a hit, with six Johnnies recorded a multi-hit game. Shaun McMillan and Cowan each went yard. Lewis Rodriguez finished the day a home run short of the cycle, going 3-for-4 from the dish. Jayder Raifstanger notch his third game with five or more RBIs this season, while Adam Agresti, Rob Mansour and Rodriguez each scored three runs.
On the mound, Evan Chaffee pitched 5.0 innings and allowed five runs, striking out six. This marks the seventh time this year that the southpaw has struck out six or more batters in a game. Jack Nestler pitched 4.0 innings of one-run ball in relief, striking out five on 66 pitches.
St. John's opened the scoring in the bottom of the first frame with a 453-foot solo smash off the bat of McMillan.
Xaiver got on the board in the top of the third and scored three runs to take the lead at 3-1.
The Johnnies answered with a five-run rally in the bottom of the third frame. Rodriguez used a one-out single to jump-start the offense. LeGrande doubled to put runners in scoring position and Raifstanger followed with a single to score Rodriguez. McMillan lifted a ball to deep right field for a sacrifice fly to score LeGrande. After an Agresti walk, Cowan belted a shot to dead center for a three-run homer, making it 6-3.
St. John's continued to drive in runs in the bottom of the fourth. Cristian Bernardini led off with a double and Mansour followed with a walk. Rodriguez laid down a sacrifice bunt and reached on an error to score Bernardini. Following a LeGrande single to juice the bases, Raifstanger singled to bring home Mansour and Rodriguez. With two outs and runners on the corners, Agresti's bloop single allowed LeGrande to score. Cowan continued to put runs on the board for the Johnnies by doubling to center to score Raifstanger and Agresti, concluding the six-run inning to make it 12-3.
The Musketeers scored a run to make it 12-4 in the top of the fifth, but the Red Storm once again answered. With runners in scoring position and one out, Raifstanger lifted a sacrifice fly to left field to score Mansour and bring the score to 13-4.
Xavier tallied another run to make it 13-5 in the top of the sixth.
The Johnnies rallied once again with four runs in the bottom of the sixth frame. After Agresti walked to start the inning, Cowan powered a ball over the center field wall for his second round-tripper of the afternoon. With two outs, St. John's scored another pair of runs to make it 17-5.
Xavier scored once more in the top of the eighth to bring the score to its 17-6 final.
St. John's has now advanced to its conference-best 15th BIG EAST Tournament title game. The Red Storm will face the winner of tonight's elimination game between Xavier and Creighton. First pitch will be announced later tonight. The Red Storm will have two opportunities to win one game and earn the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
The 17 runs are the most in a BIG EAST Tournament game in program history, surpassing the previous mark of 15 runs set on May 17, 1986, against Providence. The 11-run margin of victory is the largest margin in a BIG EAST Tournament contest in program history, besting the previous mark of 10 which was done three times, most recently on May 23, 2012, against Notre Dame.
St. John's will make its 15th appearance in the BIG EAST Tournament title game, the most by any school in league history. The Johnnies hold a 13-8 record in the championship round.
The Red Storm (32-24, 15-6 BIG EAST) exploded for 11 runs over the third and fourth innings and tacked on four more in the sixth frame to power past Xavier (28-29, 15-6 BIG EAST). Will Cowan had a career day at the plate, notching his first multi-home run game and a career-high seven RBIs with a 3-for-5 day.
The Albertson, N.Y., native's seven RBIs are the most by a Johnnie this year and the most since David Glancy tallied eight against St. Peters on March 10, 2020, and the most by a St. John's player in a BIG EAST Tournament game in the last two decades.
All nine starters recorded a hit, with six Johnnies recorded a multi-hit game. Shaun McMillan and Cowan each went yard. Lewis Rodriguez finished the day a home run short of the cycle, going 3-for-4 from the dish. Jayder Raifstanger notch his third game with five or more RBIs this season, while Adam Agresti, Rob Mansour and Rodriguez each scored three runs.
On the mound, Evan Chaffee pitched 5.0 innings and allowed five runs, striking out six. This marks the seventh time this year that the southpaw has struck out six or more batters in a game. Jack Nestler pitched 4.0 innings of one-run ball in relief, striking out five on 66 pitches.
St. John's opened the scoring in the bottom of the first frame with a 453-foot solo smash off the bat of McMillan.
Xaiver got on the board in the top of the third and scored three runs to take the lead at 3-1.
The Johnnies answered with a five-run rally in the bottom of the third frame. Rodriguez used a one-out single to jump-start the offense. LeGrande doubled to put runners in scoring position and Raifstanger followed with a single to score Rodriguez. McMillan lifted a ball to deep right field for a sacrifice fly to score LeGrande. After an Agresti walk, Cowan belted a shot to dead center for a three-run homer, making it 6-3.
St. John's continued to drive in runs in the bottom of the fourth. Cristian Bernardini led off with a double and Mansour followed with a walk. Rodriguez laid down a sacrifice bunt and reached on an error to score Bernardini. Following a LeGrande single to juice the bases, Raifstanger singled to bring home Mansour and Rodriguez. With two outs and runners on the corners, Agresti's bloop single allowed LeGrande to score. Cowan continued to put runs on the board for the Johnnies by doubling to center to score Raifstanger and Agresti, concluding the six-run inning to make it 12-3.
The Musketeers scored a run to make it 12-4 in the top of the fifth, but the Red Storm once again answered. With runners in scoring position and one out, Raifstanger lifted a sacrifice fly to left field to score Mansour and bring the score to 13-4.
Xavier tallied another run to make it 13-5 in the top of the sixth.
The Johnnies rallied once again with four runs in the bottom of the sixth frame. After Agresti walked to start the inning, Cowan powered a ball over the center field wall for his second round-tripper of the afternoon. With two outs, St. John's scored another pair of runs to make it 17-5.
Xavier scored once more in the top of the eighth to bring the score to its 17-6 final.
St. John's has now advanced to its conference-best 15th BIG EAST Tournament title game. The Red Storm will face the winner of tonight's elimination game between Xavier and Creighton. First pitch will be announced later tonight. The Red Storm will have two opportunities to win one game and earn the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Chaffee, Evan (6-4)
L: Ashton Chronister (3-4)
S: Nestler, Jack (2)
Batting:
2B: Mitchell Morton 1 ; Tommy Townsend 1
HR: Luke Hammond 1 ; Tanner Thomas 1
RBI: Clay Burdette 1 ; Jonathan Fitz 1 ; Luke Hammond 2 ; Tommy Townsend 1 ; Tanner Thomas 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Jorge Valdes 1 ; Josh Stonehouse 1 ; Luke Hammond 1 ; Landon Mensik 1 ; Tanner Thomas 1 ; Donavan Canterberry 1
HBP: Josh Stonehouse 1 ; Luke Hammond 1
Batting:
2B: LeGrande, Jon 1 ; Cowan, Will 1 ; Bernardini, Cristian 1 ; Rodriguez, Lewis 1
3B: Rodriguez, Lewis 1
HR: McMillan, Shaun 1 ; Cowan, Will 2
RBI: Raifstanger, Jayder 5 ; McMillan, Shaun 2 ; Agresti, Adam 1 ; Cowan, Will 7 ; Rodriguez, Lewis 1
SH: Rodriguez, Lewis 1
SF: Raifstanger, Jayder 1 ; McMillan, Shaun 1
Base Running:
RUNS: LeGrande, Jon 2 ; Raifstanger, Jayder 2 ; McMillan, Shaun 1 ; Agresti, Adam 3 ; Cowan, Will 2 ; Bernardini, Cristian 1 ; Mansour, Rob 3 ; Rodriguez, Lewis 3
HBP: LeGrande, Jon 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
2
H
3
RBI
5
AB
5
R
2
H
3
RBI
7
AB
4
R
3
H
3
RBI
1
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
C/1B
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OF/C
/ Baseball
LHP
/ BaseballINF
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INF
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballINF
/ BaseballOF
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