The Johnnies' MIAC opener at Bethel, originally scheduled for this past Saturday, April 2, has been rescheduled to 2:30 p.m. today at Hargis Park in Arden Hills. – Live Stats
A LOOK AT THE JOHNNIES: Saint John's allowed one earned run the entire day and split a doubleheader at Luther (Iowa) last Tuesday, March 29. The Johnnies dropped a 1-0 decision in the first game before scoring three runs in the top of the seventh to win game two, 5-3. The Johnnies (6-5, 0-0 MIAC) mustered only one hit, an infield single from sophomore Max Forster (Minnetonka, Minn./Hopkins), and committed three errors to squash solid pitching performances from senior Brett Kramer (Baxter, Minn./Brainerd) and Forster. Kramer allowed one run, unearned, on three hits with seven strikeouts in four innings of work to record the loss (1-2). Forster allowed two hits and struck out three in two innings of scoreless relief. Alex Byom was a bit better for Luther (13-4, 3-0 IIAC), pitching the complete-game shutout with eight strikeouts. He retired the final 12 batters.
SJU jumped out to a 2-0 in game two thanks to back-to-back RBI doubles from senior Matt Butorac (Maple Grove, Minn.) and Kramer. The Norse cut the deficit to 2-1 with a run in the bottom of the first and took the lead with two runs in the third. Both runs off junior Hayden Zimmerman (New Richmond, Wis.) in the third were earned. With one out in the top of the seventh, Forster took first after getting hit by a pitch and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Senior Matt Boys (Eden Prairie, Minn./Minnetonka) hit a groundball to the right side where it was fielded by the first baseman. He threw to the pitcher covering first to get the out before Boys collided with him down the line. Heads-up base-running by Forster enabled him to score on the play and tie the game. Sophomore Charlie Perrine (Edina, Minn./Benilde-St. Margaret's) then singled thru the left side and sophomore Alex Powell (Hopkins, Minn.) and senior Eric Smith (Rogers, Minn.) tallied back-to-back walks to load the bases with two outs. Senior Brian Skluzacek (Cold Spring, Minn./Rocori) followed with a two-run double to right-centerfield. Sophomore Connor Cline (Bloomington, Minn./Jefferson) recorded a 1-2-3 seventh to earn his second victory of the season and give SJU a split. Cline allowed two hits and struck out five in three innings of relief to lower his season ERA to 1.15 in 15.2 innings. Zimmerman allowed three runs, one earned, off five hits with three strikeouts in four innings. The SJU pitching staff combined for 18 strikeouts and one walk on the afternoon.
“DOUBLES” BUTORAC: With his RBI double at Luther Tuesday, senior Matt Butorac is now one away from tying Jed Riegelman (2001-04) for the SJU record of 34 career doubles. He currently has a .371 career batting average with 103 hits, 62 RBI and a .547 slugging percentage.
A LOOK AT THE ROYALS: Bethel (7-5 overall, 0-0 MIAC) went 7-5 on its spring break trip in Fort Myers, Fla., but hasn't played since March 19. Junior outfielder Travis Piepho currently leads the team with an even .500 average (19-38), while senior catcher Erik Anderson has a .432 average with a team-leading 16 RBI. Sophomore Matt Rowley racked up 17 strikeouts in nine innings while not allowing a run in Florida. He was named the MIAC Pitcher of the Week for his performance. As a staff, BU posted a 3.03 ERA with a .230 opponent batting average in 86 innings over spring break.
LAST YEAR'S MEETING: In the last meeting between the Johnnies and the Royals, SJU swept BU, 3-1 and 12-2 on April 3, 2010. The Johnnies out-hit the Royals 22-5 on the afternoon and received a pair of fine performances from the starting pitcher. SJU jumped out to a 2-0 lead in game one thanks to a sacrifice fly from Butorac and an RBI-double from junior Bert Marsnik (Annandale, Minn.). Bethel added an unearned run in the top of the sixth inning to cut the deficit to 2-1, but SJU added an unearned run of its own in the bottom half of the inning on an RBI-double. Zimmerman recorded the final out to earn the save. The Johnnies took an early 10-0 lead, thanks to eight runs in the second inning, en route to the 12-2 victory in game two. Batters one thru four combined to bat 8-for-15 with eight RBI and six runs scored. A two-run single by Butorac followed by a three-run homer from Marsnik, all with two outs, capped the eight-run second. Zimmerman allowed one run on two hits in five innings of work to improve his record to 4-1 on the season. Cline pitched a scoreless sixth, before Kramer surrendered a bases-loaded walk in the seventh. Marsnik ended the day 4-for-6 with four RBI, a double, home run and three runs scored, while Butorac went 3-for-5. Boys went 3-for-6.
SERIES HISTORY: Since 1993, SJU is 23-13 against the Royals, including a 9-7 record on Bethel's home field. The Johnnies, however, are 6-2 in the last eight games at BU.
