The St. John’s baseball team (20-16- 1, 5-4) went 1-2 in a BIG EAST weekend series against Xavier University (16-26, 2-3).
In game one, the Red Storm rallied for two runs in the eighth inning to register a 4-2 win. Xavier used six home runs to defeat St. John’s, 11-8, in game two. St. John’s stranded 13 runners in game three, losing 1-0 to Xavier.
Junior catcher Troy Dixon went 2-for- 4 with a tie breaking two-run double to lead the Red Storm in game one, while classmate Robbie Knightes was 4-for- 4 with a run scored. Sophomore Anthony Brocato was 2-for- 4 with an RBI and junior Michael Donadio was 2-for- 3 with a double and a run scored.
Senior right-hander Thomas Hackimer had three strikeouts in 3.0 scoreless innings to earn a win in relief of classmate Kevin Torres. Torres tossed 6.0 innings of two-run ball in his first career start.
The Musketeers were the first to get on the board in game one, scoring in the bottom of the first on a two-out triple. In the second inning, Knightes doubled to left field then Brocato singled through the left side. Knightes advanced to third and tried to get the tying run but Xavier executed a good relay throw to retire Knightes at home and end the second.
Torres tossed 1-2- 3 innings in the fifth and sixth for the Red Storm. St. John’s grabbed the lead with two runs in the seventh. Shaw tied the game and extended his hitting streak to 16 games with a solo home run to lead off the inning.
Knightes followed with a one- out infield single and took second on a wild pitch before Brocato made it a 2-1 ballgame with an RBI single. Xavier answered back to tie the game with an RBI sacrifice bunt in the bottom of the seventh.
St. John’s scored two runs in the eighth to gain back the lead and secure the eventual win. Dixon hit a two-run double to the gap in right center to score Donadio and Caruso.
In game two, freshman Shaw (0-for- 2) and Knightes (2-for- 4) had three RBI apiece to pace the offense in game two. Donadio went 3-for- 5 with two runs and Brocato was 2-for- 3. Sophomore lefty Tyler Bauman (0-1) took the loss after allowing six runs in 1.1 innings of relief.
The Red Storm held the advantage over Xavier through four innings. Xavier used a pair of home runs to take its first lead of the game with a seven-run fifth inning. St. John’s would tack on one more run in the ninth but were unable to gain the lead back for the win.
In the series finale, St. John’s stranded 13 runners in the series finale with Xavier. Senior Alex Caruso finished 1-for- 2 with three walks, while Donadio and Brocato were both 1-for- 2 with two walks. Sophomore left-hander Kevin Magee (1-2) took the loss after allowing one run in 5.2 innings of work. This was the first time this season that the Red Storm were shut out.
A solo home run from Xavier’s senior catcher Daniel Rizzie in the third inning proved to be the difference in the game.
