The Johnnies (5-4 overall) travel to face Luther (Iowa) on Tuesday, March 29. The doubleheader is scheduled for 2 p.m. in Decorah, Iowa. – Watch Live
A LOOK AT THE JOHNNIES: In the Johnnies most recent match-up, they ended with a wild 16-13 win over Elmhurst (Ill.) on Sunday, March 20. This game marked the end of the Johnnies spring break trip, where they went 5-4 in Arizona. Their 5-4 record included two losses by two runs or less, playing a total of 78 innings in six days. Saint John's batted .310 on the trip with 23 extra-base hits and turned a total of 13 double plays. The SJU pitching rotation recorded a .265 opponent batting average and a 4.66 ERA in 48.1 innings of spacious baseball. The Snedigar Sportsplex in Chandler is 350 feet down both foul lines and 400 feet to centerfield, while the Gene Autry Sports Complex in Mesa is 365 feet down the lines and 420 feet to centerfield.
Individually, sophomore Connor Cline (Bloomington, Minn./Jefferson) went 1-1 overall in Arizona despite posting a 1.42 ERA and a .196 opponent batting average in 12.2 innings. He allowed eight runs, only two earned, with 13 strikeouts. Aside from his start March 19, Cline started the final three games at first base and collected two hits in each contest. He ended the trip with a .429 batting average (6-14) and a .529 on-base percentage. Senior outfield Eric Smith (Rogers, Minn.) started the season with a bang, going 7-for-9 with seven RBI in the sweep of Wisconsin-Stout March 14 in Arizona. He ended the trip with a .417 batting average, including a team-leading eight runs scored, 15 hits, 10 RBI, 23 total bases and a .639 slugging percentage from the leadoff spot. He batted .545 (6-11) with runners on base, .545 (6-11) with two outs and an even .600 (6-10) with runners in scoring position. Eight of his 10 RBI came with two outs. Fellow senior Matt Boys (Eden Prairie, Minn./Minnetonka) finished the week with a .419 batting average (13-31), eight runs, six RBI, four stolen bases and a walkoff homer against Springfield (Mass.) March 19.
A LOOK AT THE NORSE: Luther (12-3, 2-0 IIAC) recently posted a sweep of Cornell (Iowa) with 2-1 (8 inn.) and 10-2 victories in its conference-opening series March 27. The Norse opened their 2011 season with a sweep of Robert Morris (Ill.) March 12 before recording a 7-3 record on their spring trip to Ft. Myers, Fla. Sophomore Chris Erikson has a team-leading .483 batting average (14-29) with 10 RBI, while juniors Mitchel Obey (.408 avg., six doubles, 14 RBI) and Chris Reynolds (.390 avg., 23 hits, 12 RBI) are close behind. The Norse have stolen 29 bases out of 31 attempts in 15 games this season. The pitching staff has a combined 3.21 ERA with a 2:1 strikeout/walk ratio and a .260 opponent batting average.
THE LAST MEETING: The last time the Johnnies and Norse met was March 6, 1994, in which SJU swept the Metrodome doubleheader with scores of 4-1 and 19-0. SJU traveled to Decorah in 1971 and dropped both games, 8-3 and 1-0.
