Saint John's (7-8, 0-0 MIAC) returns to the Metrodome Tuesday, March 30, to face Wis.-La Crosse (2-5, 0-0 WIAC). The doubleheader is scheduled for 6 p.m.

A LOOK AT THE JOHNNIES: Saint John's split a doubleheader with Wis.-Oshkosh, winning the first game 10-9 before surrendering a 12-9 decision in the nightcap, on Wednesday, March 24, at the Metrodome. SJU built a 9-2 lead in game one and held on for the 10-9 win. Game two was a different story, however. The Johnnies jumped out to leads of 7-0 and 8-2 before allowing nine runs, all with two outs, in the sixth inning. In game one, sophomore outfielder Jimmy Loonan (Waseca, Minn.) tied the game at 1-1 with an RBI-triple off the baggy in right-center field, four feet to the right of a two-run homer. The Johnnies then added five runs in the fourth and three more in the fifth. Junior shortstop Matt Butorac (Maple Grove, Minn.) went 4-for-4 with an RBI and three runs scored, while senior first baseman Kyle Henkemeyer (Sauk Rapids, Minn./Sauk Rapids-Rice) added two doubles and two RBI. Loonan ended the contest 2-for-2 with three RBI. Sophomore Hayden Zimmerman (New Richmond, Wis.) improved to 3-1 with the win, allowing seven runs, six earned, in 4.1 innings. He allowed seven hits and struck out four. Zimmerman allowed only two hits thru the first four innings. 

SJU jumped out to a 7-0 lead thru the first four innings of game two thanks to three Titan errors. Senior outfielder Andrew Gurbada (Royalton, Minn.) gave the home team a 1-0 lead with an RBI-double in the second and Loonan smacked a two-run single down the left-field line in the third. An RBI-single from sophomore third baseman Bert Marsnik (Annandale, Minn.), a bases-loaded walk by freshman shortstop Max Forster (Hopkins, Minn.) and  a sac fly from Loonan, clustered with two errors, padded the fourth-inning lead.  An interesting situation arose in the top of the sixth inning. With the time limit for the doubleheader set to expire at 11:30 p.m., the Johnnies took the field at 11:15 p.m. with the intention to get three outs, bat, and start the seventh inning before time ran out (and earn the win). Junior Brett Kramer (Baxter, Minn./Brainerd) allowed two runs on five hits with six strikeouts thru the first five innings before the proverbial wheels fell off. Kramer got the leadoff hitter to fly out to start the sixth inning, but a hit batsman and walk brought sophomore Nick Roeder (St. Cloud, Minn./Tech) into the game. A fielder's choice on Roeder's first batter put runners on the corners with two outs and the No. 9 hitter at the plate. Two more hit batsmen and two hits, including a bases-clearing double, chased Roeder for senior Matt Johnson (Eagan, Minn.). Three consecutive RBI-singles forced another pitching change, this time to senior Aaron Hellem (Lincoln, Neb./Pius X). A two-run triple made it 11-8 before a strikeout ended the inning around 11:40 p.m. The rushed start of the sixth inning failed to matter, however, as the time limit did not apply as long as the Metrodome staff left the lights on. An RBI-single by Gurbada in the bottom half of the sixth cut the deficit to 11-9, but a solo home run to lead-off the seventh ended the scoring at 12-9 for Wis.-Oshkosh (4-4, 0-0 WIAC). Forster, Gurbada and Marsnik all had two hits each, while Loonan added three more RBI to his night.

A LOOK AT THE EAGLES: The Eagles lost the opening game, 6-3, in their doubleheader against Augsburg on March 28. In the nightcap, La Crosse led 9-6 heading into the seventh inning but the game was stopped due to the time limit. Freshman leftfielder Travis Martin led the Eagles with a 3-for-3 performance at the plate with an RBI and run scored. Sophomore first baseman Jay Fanta went 2-for-3. Junior Tim Larson was saddled with the loss for the Eagles, allowing five hits, four runs (one earned) in five innings with eight strikeouts. On the season, sophomore catcher Zach Harazin leads the team offensively with a .389 batting average (7-18) including seven hits, five runs scored, a double, a home run, five RBI and 11 total bases. Larson leads the pitching staff with a 0.75 ERA in 12 innings pitched. He has allowed seven hits, five runs (one earned), with four walks and 15 strikeouts.

PRODUCTION IN RIGHT: Loonan broke out of a 3-for-13 slump (.231) with a 3-for-5 performance in the Johnnies' doubleheader against Wis.-Oshkosh. In SJU's 10-9 win in game one, Loonan went 2-for-2 with three RBI and a triple off the right-field baggy, a yard from a two-run homer. He then batted 1-for-3 with three more RBI in game two's 12-9 loss. Head coach Jerry Haugen has been looking for a consistent right-fielder at the plate, as the position (seven different players) entered the doubleheader batting just .179 (7-39) thru the first 13 games of the season.