St. John's Will Defend Big East Title Sunday

St. John's will get a chance to defend its title of Big East baseball champions by advancing to Sunday's noon championship showdown with Seton Hall.

In what proved to be a doubleheader, Louisville, with one loss in the tournament, defeated previously unbeaten St. John's Saturday morning forcing an elimination showdown late Saturday afternoon which St. John's won 5-1.

The Red Storm largely won the game on the arms of pitchers Kevin Kilpatrick and Stephen Rivera. The duo held Louisville to one run on nine hits without allowing a walk.

"I thought [Kilpatrick was changing his speeds really well," St. John's assistant coach Mike Hampton. "Then Rivera came in and closed the door. I can't say enough of what those guys did."

The Red Storm scored three runs on four hits in the top of the fourth to take a 3-1 lead and never looked back.  Centerfielder Jimmy Brennan led the way with three hits in five at-bats.

St. John's will try to capture the Big East title for the second time in as many years without their coach Ed Blankmeyer who Friday made physical contact with an umpire and will miss the remainder of the tournament.

Louisville forced an elimination game thanks in large part to relief pitcher Jeff Thompson. The freshman who is a mountain of a man - 6-6, 265 - was forced into action when starter Chad Green suddenly hit the dirt as if he was hit by a line drive. He wasn't, but he was suffering from leg cramps in a calf from the hot morning so badly, he couldn't throw another pitch.

Thompson tossed 4 1/3 innings, striking out five without allowing a walk.

"I was just going out there to try to make pitches," Thompson said. "I was told they weren't hitting much so I tried to keep it in a zone."

Seton Hall has been getting the job done the hard way in the Big East baseball tournament at Bright House Field.

After winning an extra-innings game earlier in the tournament on a hit batsman and a bases-loaded walk, and a one-run game Friday, Seton Hall decided to bring out the bats, using a six-run sixth to knock off top-seeded Connecticut 12-2 Saturday.

The win allows the No. 5 seed Pirates to advance to Sunday's title game against defending champion St. John's at noon for the Big East championship and a berth in the NCAA regionals.

"We're playing our best baseball of the season," Seton Hall coach Rob Sheppard said. Good timing too.

Connecticut simply couldn't stop Seton Hall leadoff hitter Zach Granite he had three hits in four at-bats and two RBIs and a double.

The Pirates will play for the Big East championship for the first time in 10 years and only the seventh time in Big East history.

Brian Gilbert and George Fernandez were sharp on the mound for Seton Hall. The duo combined to hold the Huskies to six hits and three walks.