Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – Saint John's University junior Andrew Gurbada's (Royalton, Minn.) bases-loaded single to center field in the bottom of the eighth inning gave SJU an 8-7 win and a sweep of Saint Mary's on Wednesday, April 15. 

Down 6-0 entering the bottom of the third in game two, the Johnnies tied the game at 7-7 in the bottom of the seventh inning thanks to a two-run, pinch-hit single by senior Mike Krempa (Burnsville, Minn./Holy Angels).  The Johnnies then loaded the bases in the eighth, for the third time in the game, before Gurbada's two-out single.

Sophomore Matt Butorac (Maple Grove, Minn.) went 4-for-5 with a home run, his fourth of the season, and two doubles. The performance was his third four-hit game of the season and raised his batting average to .455 (35-77). Butorac ended the day a combined 5-for-7 with four extra-base hits and five runs scored.

Gurbada, junior Nathaniel Jimenez (Trinidad, Colo./Holy Trinity), freshman Bert Marsnik (Annandale, Minn.) and sophomore Brian Skluzacek (Cold Spring, Minn./Rocori) collected two hits apiece as the Johnnies pounded out 15 base hits and left 12 men on base.

Junior Matt Johnson (Eagan, Minn.) pitched three innings of scoreless relief to earn the win (2-2).

Junior Andrew Aebly (Madison, Wis./Edgewood) earned a complete-game victory in game one, his first start of the season, while scattering five hits and allowing one run. Five different Johnnies each had one hit as SJU padded its 2-1 lead with three runs in the bottom of the sixth. The game lasted only an hour and 20 minutes.

The Johnnies have now swept five of the last six doubleheaders against SMU (4-22, 0-12 MIAC).

With the pair of wins, SJU head coach Jerry Haugen is now six wins shy of 600 for his career with a 594-511-5 (.537) record in 32 seasons.

The Johnnies (10-12, 5-5 MIAC) return to action this Saturday, April 18, as they play host for Carleton. The doubleheader is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Saint John's Field in Collegeville.