Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score | Photos (Dawid Chabowski)
COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – Saint John's split a doubleheader with Concordia-Moorhead on a windy Tuesday, April 13, in Collegeville. The Johnnies (13-12, 6-2 MIAC) dropped the first game 4-2 before registering a six-run third inning enroute to a 6-2 win in game two.
The Johnnies hit the ball hard in game one, collecting seven line-drive outs, but surrendered all four runs in the first inning. SJU also left a total of nine men on base.
The Cobbers (14-8, 5-1 MIAC) stretched a pair of singles into doubles and recorded two other wind-aided hits to take an early 4-0 lead. Senior Andrew Aebly (Madison, Wis./Edgewood) settled down after the outburst and took control, allowing just four hits over the next six innings in the complete-game outing. He struck out four and walked none.
An interesting situation arose in the sixth inning with the Johnnies threatening. With runners on first (Andrew Gurbada) and second (Matt Butorac), junior outfielder Matt Boys (Eden Prairie, Minn./Minnetonka) ripped a line drive thru the right side and Butorac scored from second. The second-base umpire, however, ruled that the ball hit Gurbada, which ended the inning and kept the run off the scoreboard. Eight of the Johnnies' 10 hits in the contest came with two outs.
SJU added two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning thanks to an RBI-single from junior outfielder Eric Smith (Rogers, Minn.) and a fielder's choice from Butorac. Sophomore designated hitter Bert Marsnik (Annandale, Minn.) then laced a double down the left-field line to extend the inning. Freshman third baseman Max Forster (Minnetonka, Minn./Hopkins) came to the plate as the tying run, but grounded out to the shortstop on a bang-bang play. Boys and Gurbada each went 2-for-3, while Smith was 2-for-4 in game one.
The Johnnies' hard hitting finally paid off in the third inning of game two. Junior catcher Brian Skluzacek (Cold Spring, Minn./Rocori) led-off the inning with his first home run of the season, a blast to right field. Senior second baseman Joe Eiden (Maple Grove, Minn./Totino-Grace) then singled, followed by a hit batsman and a walk to load the bases. Butorac singled to give SJU its first lead of the day and chase starter Jake Torrison from the ballgame. Marsnik then tallied an RBI-single of his own before Forster recorded the first out of the inning. Gurbada and Boys followed with consecutive RBI-singles and Skluzacek plated another on a fielder's choice, his second RBI of the inning, to end the scoring.
The Cobbers put together a bases-loaded threat with one out in the fifth. Boys, however, made a diving catch in centerfield and doubled off the runner at first to end the inning and preserve the 6-2 lead.
Seven different Johnnies recorded a hit each in game two.
Junior Brett Kramer (Baxter, Minn./Brainerd) allowed two runs, one earned, on seven hits in the complete-game victory. He struck out four and walked two to improve his record to 3-3 on the year.
The Johnnies travel to face Carleton this Saturday, April 17. The doubleheader is set for 1 p.m. at Mel Taube Field in Northfield.
