MASON, Ohio (Interstat) — Liam O’Leary pitched eight strong innings and Jayder Raifstanger drove in a key run as Saint John’s defeated Creighton 4-2 on Thursday afternoon in the opening round of the Big East Baseball Championship at Prasco Park.

O’Leary, a right-hander, allowed seven hits and two earned runs while striking out six. He did not walk a batter. His effort came after a rough outing against Butler on May 14 in which he gave up five earned runs, but he bounced back from a complete-game shutout of Villanova on May 8.

Creighton struck first in the top of the third inning. Rocco Gump tripled to right field to lead off the frame. After a strikeout, North singled to third base, scoring Gump to give the Bluejays a 1-0 lead.

That margin held until the bottom of the fifth, when the Red Storm erupted for three runs. With one out, LeGrande singled and stole second. Raifstanger walked, and McMillan singled to load the bases. Dylan Fitzsimmons then delivered a two-run single to right field, scoring LeGrande and Raifstanger to tie the game at 2-2. After a hit batter and a walk, Cristian Bernardini drew a bases-loaded walk to force in McMillan, giving Saint John’s a 3-2 lead.

Creighton starter Jack Pineau was lifted after 4 2/3 innings. He did not allow a hit but surrendered three earned runs on three walks and a hit batter. Joe Hauser relieved him and recorded two outs before Jakob Ruhl entered in the sixth.

Saint John’s added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth. LeGrande walked, and Raifstanger doubled down the left-field line to bring him home, making the score 4-2. Ruhl pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings for the Bluejays, striking out two, but Creighton could not climb back.

O’Leary retired seven straight batters at one point and worked efficiently through the middle innings. Creighton threatened in the top of the eighth. Rice walked, Gump struck out, but Wachsmann singled. North reached on a fielder’s choice, and McHugh walked to load the bases. A balk allowed Rice to score, cutting the lead to 4-3. But O’Leary induced a groundout to end the inning.

In the top of the ninth, Victor Frederick entered for Saint John’s. He hit Capece with a pitch, then struck out Baillargeon and Venteicher around a wild pitch. Pinch hitter Fuchino struck out looking to end the game.

Saint John’s outhit Creighton 9-7. Raifstanger finished 2-for-4 with an RBI. Fitzsimmons went 2-for-5 with two RBIs. For Creighton, Gump was 2-for-4 with a triple and a run scored.

The win improved Saint John’s to 31-24 overall, while Creighton dropped to 29-25. The teams had met three times in the regular season, with Saint John’s taking two of three at home in early May.

The Red Storm advanced in the double-elimination tournament and were scheduled to play later in the bracket. Creighton faced an elimination game.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Saint John’s 6, Creighton 4. Interstat’s ELO system gave Creighton a 59.40 percent probability to win the game.