Jamaica, N.Y. The St. Johns baseball teams headed into this weekends series against Rutgers knowing that they need a three game sweep to qualify for the BIG EAST Tournament. St. Johns (28-22 overall, 13-11 BIG EAST) took one step closer to clinching a post season berth when they defeated the Scarlet Knights this afternoon 6-1 at the Ballpark at St. Johns. The game was delayed by over four hours due to inclement weather and the teams were able to complete one nine inning game of the scheduled doubleheader. Senior Brian Dorsey (Smithtown, N.Y.) led the way for the Red Storm pitching nine innings, giving up one earned run on ten hits and striking out three. The win improved his record on the year to 7-2.

Rutgers got on the board first in the top of the first inning when with one out Val Majewski doubled off Dorsey and came into score on a single by Jeff Frazier. Dorsey would get out of the inning by getting Steve Normane to line into one of five double plays St. Johns would turn on the day.

St. Johns would answer right back when senior Bill Graiser (Muttontown, N.Y.) led off the bottom of the first inning with a walk and sophomore Anthony DeRosa (Salem, N.H.) followed, getting hit by a pitch. Senior Charlie Bilezikjian (Staten Island, N.Y.) doubled to the gap in right center field scoring Graiser and moving DeRosa to third. Senior Jason Kane (Rutherford, N.J.) followed with a two RBI single up the middle scoring DeRosa and Bilezikjian. After Kane moved to third on a wild pitch, freshman Jim Martin (Norwood, Mass.) singled through the right side of a drawn in infield for the Red Storms fourth run of the inning.

The Red Storm would add two more runs in the fifth, when with two outs sophomore Jeremy Winter (Cliffside Park, N.J.) doubled to right center and would later advance to third on a balk. After a walk to Martin, junior Asa Grunenwald (Boalsburg, Pa.) doubled off the wall in left field, driving in both Winter and Martin.

Six runs is all Dorsey would need, as timely pitching and defense would keep the Scarlet Knights off the scoreboard. Rutgers biggest threat came in the sixth inning when Dorsey gave up consecutive singles to Majewski and Frazier. With two on and nobody out, Dorsey got Steve Normane to ground into a six-four-three double play. The Red Storm would get out of the inning unscathed when Kane made a leaping catch on a soft liner hit by Tim Sweeney with a man on third.

Rutgers would threaten in the ninth, when with two outs Ryan Lillis hit an infield single and Mike Popowski was hit by a pitch. Dorsey would dig down deep and finish off the Scarlet Knights by getting Vinny Esposito to fly out to center field.

St. Johns will play a doubleheader tomorrow May 19, at the Ballpark at St. Johns. The first game will go seven innings followed by a nine inning game. First pitch is scheduled for noon.