MASON, Ohio (Interstat) — Liam O’Leary pitched eight strong innings and St. John’s defeated Creighton 4-2 on Thursday afternoon in the Big East Baseball Championship.

O’Leary allowed seven hits and two earned runs while striking out six. He improved to 31-24 for the Red Storm. The Bluejays fell to 29-25.

Creighton struck first in the top of the third. A single by North drove in Gump for a 2-0 lead. St. John’s answered in the fifth. Dylan Fitzsimmons singled to right, scoring Raifstanger and LeGrande to tie the game. Later in the inning, Bernardini walked with the bases loaded to bring in McMillan, giving the Red Storm a 3-2 lead.

Jayder Raifstanger doubled down the left-field line in the sixth, scoring LeGrande to make it 4-2. Creighton scratched a run in the eighth on a balk, but St. John’s held on.

Jack Pineau took the loss for Creighton, allowing three earned runs in 4 2/3 innings. Jakob Ruhl threw 2 2/3 scoreless innings of relief. Victor Frederick closed with a perfect ninth for St. John’s.