There is no debate that the SEC is a much stronger baseball conference than the Big East. But St. John’s looks to have what it takes to prove the Big East is no pushover when it goes up against Vanderbilt at Noon Friday in the Clemson Regional.
Game Odds
BetDSI Sportsbook has released odds, which you can view below, for this matchup.
St. John’s Red Storm -185
Vanderbilt Commodores +145
Spread -1.5
Over/Under 9.5
Game Preview
St. John’s enters the tournament with a storm of pitchers, which is huge when it comes to this time of the year. The Red Storm hold the fourth best team ERA in the nation at 2.95.
Sean Mooney is the ace of the staff with an 11-2 record supported by 2.52 ERA 100 strikeouts and an opponent batting average of .209 and will look to shutdown Vanderbilt for six or seven innings before turning the ball to a stellar bullpen.
Turner French (0.83 ERA), Joe LaRosa (2.05) and Gavin Hollowell (2.05) have shut the door on opponents all season and will look to lead them on a tournament run.
While the Commodores don’t have the numbers to match St. John’s, they have to battle in the SEC which is home to nine NCAA tournament qualifiers.
Vanderbilt hit a bit of a rough patch late in its season in dropping six straight, but since has won six of its last eight games.
The Commodores will look to ace Drake Fellows (6-4, 3.81) to hold back the Red Storm’s 23rd-best team batting average (.297).
Prediction
It looks as if the Red Storm has a perfect storm of pitching and hitting to take out Vanderbilt in the regional opener and perhaps have a shot to get out the regional.
While Vandy’s numbers are hurt due to its strength of conference, St. John’s hasn’t played a light schedule by any means. The Red Storm went 6-6 against NCAA tournament teams including wins against host schools North Carolina and Minnesota as well as UConn and Campbell.
The Commodores’ lineup are led by Austin Martin (.332, 21 stolen bases) and Phillip Clarke (.302, 33 RBIs and four home runs) and the experience the Vandy batters get night in and night out in the SEC isn’t something to scoff at, the Commodores will be ready for St. John’s.
But the Red Storm, led at the plate by John Valente (.356, 40 RBIs, five home runs, 11 steals), Wyatt Mascarella (.336) and Luke Stampfi (.333, 32 RBIs, six home runs), are well prepared by a tough schedule as well.
Look for St. John’s to take on the winner of Clemson and Moorhead State for a spot in the regional final.
