St. John’s Shutout Villanova, 3-0, to Punch Its Ticket to the Postseason

Saturday, May 9

Plymouth Meeting, Pa. (Villanova Park)

2 p.m.

St. John's University

28-22, 13-4

Villanova

17-28, 3-14

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
St. John's (N.Y.)	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	2	3	7	0
Villanova	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	5	1

Photo by: Robert Lombardo

St. John’s Shutout Villanova, 3-0, to Punch Its Ticket to the Postseason

5/9/2026 7:58:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score G50 Baseball at Villanova Box Score 5.9.26

Red Storm has won six straight BIG EAST series for the first time since 2018

PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa. – The St. John's baseball team (28-22, 13-4 BIG EAST) clinched a spot in the BIG EAST Tournament with a 3-0 shutout victory over Villanova (17-28, 3-14 BIG EAST) on a rainy Saturday afternoon.

With the win, the Red Storm secured its sixth consecutive BIG EAST series victory for the first time since 2018. St. John's has now gone 6-1 in Saturday conference contests and has won eight of its last 10 games played on Saturdays.

Dylan Fitzsimmons powered the Johnnies offensively, finishing 2-for-4 with all three RBIs, a home run, a stolen base and a run scored. Will Cowan also played a key role, scoring twice and swiping a base.

On the mound, Evan Chaffee turned in a stellar start, firing 6.0 scoreless innings while striking out eight to earn the victory. Jack Nestler and Evan Hoeckele combined to shut the door over the final three innings, tallying four strikeouts, with Hoeckele recording the save. Altogether, the St. John's pitching staff struck out 12 batters in the shutout effort.

A tense pitchers' duel unfolded through the first six innings as Chaffee and Villanova starter Jack Kelley traded zeros. The Wildcats threatened early by loading the bases in the first inning, but Chaffee escaped the jam with a strikeout to end the frame. St. John's also generated scoring opportunities throughout the game but was unable to break through until the late innings.

The Red Storm finally cracked the scoreboard in the seventh when Cowan reached on an infield single and stole second base moments later. Fitzsimmons followed with an RBI single through the right side to plate Cowan and give St. John's a 1-0 lead.

St. John's added insurance in the ninth after Cowan reached on a fielder's choice and stole another base. Fitzsimmons then launched a two-run homer over the right-field wall, extending the advantage to 3-0.

Nestler and Hoeckele preserved the shutout the rest of the way as the Red Storm secured the series win and punched their ticket to the BIG EAST Tournament with the 3-0 victory.

The Red Storm will return to action on Sunday for the regular-season road finale at Villanova. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. from Villanova Park on ESPN+.