St. John's baseball team opened the 2026 BIG EAST Tournament with a 4-2 victory over Creighton, securing a promising start in a competition that has historically favored the Red Storm.
The win marks the fourth time in the last five tournaments that St. John's has taken the opening game, underscoring a pattern of early momentum that often translates into deep runs.
A Pitcher's Duel in Ohio
Liam O'Leary delivered a stellar outing, logging eight innings while allowing just two runs and striking out six Bluejays. His performance placed him among only five pitchers in program history to reach the 100‑inning milestone in a single season.
Dylan Fitzsimmons provided the offensive spark with a two‑run double in the bottom of the fifth, flipping a 1-0 deficit into a 3-1 lead. He finished the game with two RBIs and a pair of hits, contributing to a balanced attack.
Victor Frederick closed the contest with a fifth save of the season, striking out two batters in a scoreless ninth to preserve the 4-2 margin.
Creighton struck first in the third inning, but St. John's answered in the sixth with an additional run, extending the lead to 4-1 before the Bluejays trimmed the gap in the eighth.
Looking Ahead
The Red Storm will now await the winner of the UConn‑Xavier matchup, a potential showdown that could further test the team's depth and resilience.
With a blend of veteran arms and emerging hitters, St. John's appears poised to carry this early success into the next phase of the tournament, aiming to translate its opening‑game pedigree into a championship.