Saint John's (6-5, 0-0 MIAC) returns to the Metrodome on Sunday, March 21, against nationally-ranked Carthage (Wis.). The doubleheader is scheduled for 2 p.m. at the Metrodome in Minneapolis.
A LOOK AT THE JOHNNIES: Saint John's committed eight errors in a pair of losses to Bethany Lutheran, 8-1 and 6-3, on March 17 at the Metrodome. The Johnnies recorded six errors, including a trio via catcher's interference, in the game-one loss. Sophomore Hayden Zimmerman (New Richmond, Wis.) was saddled with the loss after allowing eight runs, only four earned, in five innings of work. He allowed six hits and struck out two. SJU mustered just three hits, including an RBI-double from junior catcher Brian Skluzacek (Cold Spring, Minn./Rocori) in the fifth inning. Senior Matt Johnson (Eagan, Minn.) tallied three strikeouts in his inning of relief. SJU turned things around at the plate in game two, out-hitting the Vikings 11-7. The problem was, the Johnnies committed two more errors and failed to get a clutch hit until late in the game. Senior first baseman Kyle Henkemeyer (Sauk Rapids, Minn./Sauk Rapids-Rice) went 3-for-4, while Skluzacek, junior outfielder Matt Boys (Eden Prairie, Minn./Minnetonka) and sophomore third baseman Bert Marsnik (Annandale, Minn.) added two hits apiece. #Junior Brett Kramer# (Baxter, Minn./Brainerd) took the loss, allowing six runs, four earned, on six hits. He struck out five but walked six. Sophomore Nick Roeder (St. Cloud, Minn./Tech) allowed one hit in 1.1 innings of relief.
A LOOK AT THE RED MEN: The No. 5 Red Men (5-3, 0-0 CCIW) swept No. 6 Kean (N.J.), 10-2 and 16-4, on March 13. Senior pitcher Scott Danly and junior pitcher Mario Perez collected the wins. Perez pitched the first game and allowed two runs, one earned on seven hits, and two walks. Danly pitched the first six innings and allowed three runs on six hits and two walks, while striking out five. Carthage pounded out 13 hits in the first game and 21 in the second. Sophomore Tyler Eickmeyer went 6-for-9, including three doubles, one triple, and four RBI. The Red Men return 22-of-29 letterwinners and six of nine position players from its 2009 team that went 38-9 and tied for third place at the NCAA Division III National Tournament. Leading the way for position-players are third-team all-regional third baseman/outfielder Drew Roberts and second-team All-CCIW outfielder Will Hodges. Perez, who was a third-team all-region pick, will lead Carthage's pitching staff this season. Perez finished last season with a 6-1 record, a 4.09 ERA and 7.04 strikeouts per nine innings. Danly finished last season with a 4-0 record and a 2.97 ERA. Perez has a 0.64 ERA in 14 innings pitched, including 11 strikeouts, while Danly has a 2-0 record, 4.50 ERA in 12 innings pitched and 10 strikeouts this season. Offensively, Tim Hanson is currently batting .480 (12-25), including 12 hits, six runs, three doubles, one home run, seven RBI and 18 total bases. Joey Aiello is batting .455 (15-33) and leads the Red Men in hits (15), home runs (3), and total bases (24). He also has scored 11 runs and has collected 10 RBI. Carthage will face No. 1 St. Thomas at the Metrodome Saturday night.
LEADOFF HITTER: SJU entered Wednesday's doubleheader against Bethany Lutheran with its leadoff hitter reaching 47.8 percent (33-69) of the time thru the first nine games. Against Bethany Lutheran, however, only one Johnnies reached in 14 attempts (.071). On the flip side, opponents reached .357 (25-70) thru the first nine games. The Vikings' leadoff hitter, however, reached seven times in 13 attempts (.538) on Wednesday.
HITTING STREAKS: Butorac's nine-game hitting streak came to a halt against Bethany Lutheran on Wednesday. Butorac entered the doubleheader batting .563. Senior outfielder Andrew Gurbada (Royalton, Minn.), meanwhile, is currently riding a four-game hitting streak. On the season, Gurbada is batting .421 (16-38) with four doubles, nine runs scored, seven RBI and 20 total bases.
ANOTHER THREE-HIT GAME: Henkemeyer tallied his fourth three-hit game of the season in game two of Wednesday's doubleheader. His other three-hit games were the first three games of the 2010 season. In both games against Concordia-St. Paul on Feb. 26, Henkemeyer collected three hits. In the first game, he went 3-for-4 and in the second game he collected three hits in five at-bats, including one double. On March 1 against R.I.T. (N.Y.), he went 3-for-4 with a double and triple.
