Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn.- Saint John's dropped both games of a doubleheader, 4-2 and 5-4, to Wis.-La Crosse on Tuesday, March 30, at the Metrodome.
In game one, senior leftfielder Andrew Gurbada (Royalton, Minn.) tied the game at 1-1 with an RBI-single in the top of the fourth inning. SJU scored again in the top of the seventh when junior designated hitter Matt Butorac (Maple Grove, Minn.) hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score senior first baseman Kyle Henkemeyer (Sauk Rapids, Minn./Sauk Rapids-Rice) following his leadoff triple.
Henkemeyer went 3-for-4 with a run scored, while freshman shortstop Max Forster (Minnetonka, Minn./Hopkins) added a 2-for-3 performance with a double.
Senior pitcher Matt Johnson (Eagan, Minn.) suffered the tough-luck loss for the Johnnies, allowing two runs, one earned, in five innings pitched. He allowed six hits and struck out one.
Freshman centerfielder Brooks Braga went 2-for-3 to lead Wis.-La Crosse (4-5, 0-0 WIAC), including a two-run, inside-the-park home run in the bottom of the sixth to give the Eagles a 4-1 edge. He entered the night's doubleheader batting .150 (3-20) on the season.
The Eagles jumped out to a 2-0 lead with a run in each of the first two innings of game two. Junior designated hitter Eric Smith (Rogers, Minn.) cut the deficit to 2-1 with an RBI-single in the top of the third. In the bottom of the fifth inning with the score now 3-1 in favor of La Crosse, Forster was thrown out at home attempting to score off of a double by junior centerfielder Matt Boys (Eden Prairie, Minn./Minnetonka). SJU added another run in the sixth and two more in the bottom of the seventh, but the rally fell short.
Henkemeyer and Butorac each went 2-for-4 at the plate. Henkemeyer smacked another triple and added two runs scored, while Butorac added a run and an RBI. Smith went 2-for-3 with an RBI of his own.
Junior Brett Kramer (Baxter, Minn./Brainerd) took the loss, allowing two earned runs on three hits in three innings of work. Senior Aaron Hellem (Lincoln, Neb./Pius X) gave up one hit, one run and struck out two in his inning of relief. Another pitching change brought in senior Andrew Aebly (Madison, Wis./Edgewood), who gave up a hit and struck out one. Sophomore Hayden Zimmerman (New Richmond, Wis.) finished the last two innings, allowing a two-run "Metrodome" single by Braga in the top of seventh. Braga hit a chopper to third base, which bounced five feet over sophomore Bert Marsnik (Annandale, Minn.) into left field.
The Johnnies (7-10, 0-0 MIAC) begin MIAC play by hosting Bethel this Saturday, April 3. The doubleheader is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Saint John's Field in Collegeville.
