Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – Saint John's split a doubleheader with St. Thomas for its home opener on Wednesday, April 6, in Collegeville. The Tommies, backed by the arm of Kris Edwards, won the first game 5-0 before SJU came back to win game two, 6-5.
SJU (8-7, 2-2 MIAC) erased a 2-0 deficit with three runs in the bottom of the first of game two. Seniors Eric Smith (Rogers, Minn.) and Brian Skluzacek (Cold Spring, Minn./Rocori) each singled and sophomore Connor Cline (Bloomington, Minn./Jefferson) moved them up a base with a sacrifice bunt. Senior Matt Butorac (Maple Grove, Minn.) then belted a two-run triple to right centerfield. Butorac scored on a bloop single from junior Luke Sweeter (Sartell, Minn./Sartell-St. Stephen).
UST (6-11, 2-2 MIAC) tied the game with a run in the second and regained the lead at 4-3 with another in the fourth. The Johnnies tied the game with an unearned run via RBI single from sophomore Alex Powell (Hopkins, Minn.) in the bottom half of the inning.
The Tommies took a 5-4 lead into the bottom of the fifth before SJU added two runs in its half of the inning. Sophomore Max Forster (Minnetonka, Minn./Hopkins) drove in Skluzacek with an RBI single and Cline scored on a fielder's choice.
Cline improved to 3-1 on the year after allowing five runs on nine hits. Freshman Joey Long (Belvidere, Ill./Rockford Boylan) pitched two innings of scoreless relief, including a 1-2-3 seventh versus the heart of UST's lineup, to earn his first career save.
The Johnnies mustered only two hits in game one as Edwards pitched a complete-game shutout for UST, striking out seven with no walks. Cline and senior Andrew Hengel (Bemidji, Minn.) tallied a single each for SJU.
UST jumped on Forster with three runs on four hits in the top of the first and added two more in the fifth. He fell to 1-1 on the season, allowing all five runs on nine hits.
Long and sophomore Scott Schroeder (Richmond, Minn./Rocori) posted an inning of scoreless relief each.
The Johnnies travel to face No. 15 St. Olaf (16-3, 4-0 MIAC) this Saturday, April 9. The doubleheader is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Mark Almli Field in Northfield.
