Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – Saint John's University junior Nathaniel Jimenez's (Trinidad, Colo./Holy Trinity) game-winning single, his first base-hit of the season, in the bottom of the 11th inning gave the Johnnies a 9-8 win and a doubleheader split with Bethel on Friday, April 10, in Collegeville. SJU (8-10, 3-3 MIAC) fell to the Royals 12-8 in game one.

The Johnnies jumped out to a 4-0 run lead in the first inning of game one, all unearned, but a nine-run third inning propelled the Royals to a lead that SJU could not come back from. SJU cut the lead to 10-8 with four runs in the fourth before BU padded its lead with two runs in the top of the sixth. 

Sophomore Matt Butorac (Maple Grove, Minn.) went 3-for-4 with a three-run homer, his third of the season, and two runs scored. Junior Joe Eiden (Maple Grove, Minn./Totino-Grace) and freshman Matt Boys (Eden Prairie, Minn./Minnetonka) added two hits apiece.

Boys and sophomore Brian Skluzacek (Cold Spring, Minn./Rocori) led the charge in game two with two hits apiece. Skluzacek belted a two-run homer, his second of the season, to give SJU a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the third. Boys and Butorac also added two RBI.

Junior Aaron Hellem (Lincoln, Neb./Pius X) allowed six runs, just two earned, in 4.2 innings, while fellow junior Andrew Aebly (Madison, Wis./Edgewood) allowed two runs in 5.1 innings of relief. Senior Case Paxton (Brooklyn Park, Minn./Osseo) threw a scoreless 11th before Jimenez's game-winning single to earn the victory. Jimenez was 0-for-5 on the day before plating Boys from second.

With the win, SJU head coach Jerry Haugen is now eight wins shy of 600 for his career with a 592-509-5 (.538) record in 32 seasons.

The Johnnies host nationally-ranked St. Thomas for a 1 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday, April 11, in Collegeville.