Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score

Post-Game Interview:
-Junior Connor Cline (0:17)

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – Saint John's jumped back into second place with a doubleheader sweep of Hamline on Wednesday, April 18, in Collegeville.

The Johnnies (19-9, 7-3 MIAC) put together a three-run third inning, thanks to a two-run single from junior Connor Cline (Bloomington, Minn./Jefferson) and rode the arm of senior Hayden Zimmerman (New Richmond, Wis.) to a 4-2 victory in game one. Cline added two more hits and pitched a virtual shutout in the 6-1 win in game two.

Sophomore outfielder Dylan Graves (Mora, Minn.) started the third inning of game one with a leadoff double and sophomore catcher Justin Thompson (Chanhassen, Minn./Chaska) was hit by the next pitch. Freshman outfielder Aaron Pfaff (New Ulm, Minn./Cathedral) laid down a sac bunt, but HU pitcher Matt Eickman bobbled the ball to load the bases. Junior second baseman Joey Long (Belvidere, Ill./Rockford Boylan) brought in Graves with a groundout to short and Cline ripped a single down the left-field line to clear the bases.

Hamline (11-18, 2-8 MIAC) cut its deficit to 3-2 with a two-run homer, on a 2-0 pitch, off the bat of Mark Radmacher in the top of the fourth. SJU ended the scoring with a single run in the bottom of the fifth. Pfaff started the half-inning with a walk and advanced to second on a sac bunt from Long. Cline singled through the left side, sending Pfaff to third. Following a strikeout, sophomore outfielder Tom Druk (Plymouth, Minn./Orono) chopped a groundball to short, but Cline beat the play at second base, plating Pfaff.

Zimmerman allowed the two runs on three hits with four strikeouts to improve to 4-2 on the year. He now boasts a 2.30 ERA and a .202 opponent batting average in 47 innings pitched. Long threw a scoreless seventh to tally his sixth save of the season.

SJU turned three double plays and broke the game wide open with four consecutive two-out hits in the sixth inning of game two. The home team jumped out to an early 3-0 once again with a trio of unearned runs in the second inning. With one down, Druk singled and sophomore third baseman Luke Larson (Bloomington, Minn./Jefferson) doubled. Following a groundout to third, freshman catcher Billy Gregg (Minnetonka, Minn./Hopkins) smoked a line drive to left off the fielder's glove to give SJU a 2-0 lead. Senior first baseman Ben Moen (Rochester, Minn./John Marshall) jumped on the very next pitch for a double to bring in Gregg.

The Pipers cut it to 3-1 with an unearned run in the top of the fifth before SJU posted five hits and three runs in the sixth. Graves led off the inning with a single and advanced to third on a two-out hit from Pfaff. Graves came in on a single from Long, while Pfaff made it 5-1 on a single from Cline. Forster ended the scoring with an RBI double.

Cline went the distance, allowing the unearned run on three hits with six strikeouts. He also went 4-for-7 on the day to improve his batting average to .412 (14-for-34) with eight RBI in conference play. Forster and Long added two hits and an RBI each.

The Johnnies travel to Winona for a 1 p.m. doubleheader this Saturday, April 21, at Saint Mary's (15-14, 4-6 MIAC).