Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Saint John's snapped its streak of four consecutive splits with a sweep of Macalester, 9-7 and 9-0, on Tuesday, April 27, in St. Paul.
The Scots (17-15-1, 4-10 MIAC) jumped out to an early 3-0 lead after the first inning before SJU cut the deficit to 3-1 in the next half inning. The Johnnies (18-15, 11-5 MIAC) proceeded to add eight runs in the final three innings to seal the win. SJU took a 4-3 lead thanks to three singles, a double and an error in the fifth.
Macalester, however, re-gained the lead at 5-4 in the bottom half of the inning. The Johnnies responded by loading the bases with nobody out in the sixth. Senior second baseman Joe Eiden (Maple Grove, Minn./Totino-Grace) followed a strikeout with a fielder's choice RBI for the second out. Senior first baseman Kyle Henkemeyer (Sauk Rapids, Minn./Sauk Rapids-Rice) then came through with a clutch single to score the second run of the inning.
Junior outfielder Matt Boys (Eden Prairie, Minn./Minnetonka) blasted a three-run homer, with two outs, in the top of the seventh. The dinger, which was his first of the season, increased the Johnnies' lead to 9-5. The insurance runs proved to be crucial, as the Scots added a two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh before succumbing to defeat.
Senior Andrew Aebly (Madison, Wis./Edgewood) allowed five runs on nine hits thru six innings to earn the win. Freshman Connor Cline (Bloomington, Minn./Jefferson) allowed the two-run homer in the seventh, though both runs were unearned.
Sophomore outfielder Jimmy Loonan (Waseca, Minn.) was 3-for-4 at the plate, while Eiden and sophomore designated hitter Bert Marsnik (Annandale, Minn.) added two hits apiece.
Junior Brett Kramer (Baxter, Minn./Brainerd) recorded his second consecutive complete-game shutout against Mac, allowing five hits with three strikeouts and one walk. He is now 2-0 with a scoreless 0.00 ERA in 14 career innings against the Scots, including 10 strikeouts, three walks and a .216 opponent batting average (11-for-51).
SJU scored six unearned runs in the second inning thanks to two bases-loaded walks, an RBI-double from junior catcher Brian Skluzacek (Cold Spring, Minn./Rocori) and RBI-singles from Henkemeyer, junior shortstop Matt Butorac (Maple Grove, Minn.) and senior outfielder Andrew Gurbada (Royalton, Minn.).
Freshman third baseman Max Forster (Minnetonka, Minn./Hopkins) added a two-run double in the fourth inning and Skluzacek tallied his second RBI on a single in the seventh to end the scoring. Forster posted his first collegiate three-hit game with two runs scored and three RBI, while Butorac went 3-for-4 with two runs scored.
Gurbada's 13-game hitting streak came to an end following his 0-for-3 performance in game one. Marsnik, however, increased his current hitting streak to 10 games with a 3-for-6 performance on the day.
SJU has now won 15 of the last 16 meetings with Macalester, including wins in each of the last eight.
The Johnnies travel to face Hamline this Saturday, May 1. The doubleheader is scheduled for 1 p.m. at St. Anthony Village H.S.
